European leaders have expressed support for an Arab-backed proposal to rebuild Gaza, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to resettle its population in Egypt and Jordan.
In a joint statement on Saturday, 8 March , the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K. described the proposal as a “realistic” path forward, stating that it offers “swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions” in Gaza.
The USD 53 billion (EGP 2.7 trillion) plan, presented by Egypt and endorsed by Arab nations, outlines a five-year reconstruction strategy while ensuring that Palestinians remain in their homeland.
It also calls for international peacekeepers to be deployed and for Gaza’s governance to be temporarily overseen by a committee of independent experts under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.
The plan was put forward amid growing concerns over the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which expired on 1 March. Israel has since blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, pressuring Hamas to accept a new U.S.-backed truce extension.
Hamas, however, insists that the agreed-upon second phase of the ceasefire, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal, must proceed.
Hamas has also expressed its support for the Arab-backed plan, stating that it has agreed to the Administration Committee proposed in the Cairo Extraordinary Arab Summit’s reconstruction plan.
The Arab-backed proposal stands in contrast to Trump’s vision of “rebuilding Gaza free from Hamas,” which includes turning the strip into a “Rivera of the Middle East.”.Both the White House and Israel have dismissed the Arab plan, claiming it does not align with “realities on the ground.”
Despite this, European leaders affirmed their commitment to working with Arab states, emphasizing their support for the Palestinian Authority’s role in Gaza’s future while insisting that “Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore.”
Since Israel launched its military operations following Hamas’s 7 October attack, Gaza has suffered massive destruction, with over 48,000 Palestinians killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and much of the strip’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
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