Arab leaders approve $53 billion Gaza plan

Arab leaders have approved an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza estimated at $53 billion over five years, specifically designed to prevent Palestinian displacement. The plan, endorsed at an emergency Arab League summit in Egypt, stands in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Middle East Riviera" proposal.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged adoption of the plan while proposing a non-factional technocratic committee of independent Palestinian professionals to temporarily administer Gaza for at least six months under Palestinian Authority oversight. The summit's final statement warned that attempts to displace Palestinians or annex occupied Palestinian territory would escalate regional conflict.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced that Egypt will promote the plan internationally, including provisions for a seaport, airport, and rubble recycling in Gaza. Arab leaders pledged financial, material, and political support for implementation while urging the international community and financial institutions to provide necessary backing.

The summit, attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also emphasized the urgency of implementing the second and third phases of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement.

Guterres expressed the UN's support for the Egyptian plan, stressing that Gaza should remain part of the Palestinian state and describing the humanitarian situation as "horrific." He called for increased aid access to the enclave.

Israel's foreign ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein rejected the plan on social media, reiterating Israel's support for Trump's proposal. Egypt plans to host a conference on Gaza reconstruction next month to further advance implementation efforts.