Arab Nations Push Gaza Counter Plan

Arab leaders this week endorsed a $53 billion plan for the reconstruction and governance of post-war Gaza, countering US President Donald Trump’s proposal, while also calling for a renewed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Washington Post reported.

On Tuesday, heads of state and senior officials of the 22-member League of Arab States adopted the proposal following an emergency summit in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.

The endorsement of the plan followed the Trump administration’s unveiling of a proposal to transform Gaza – which has been devastated by 15 months of war – into a luxury, US-controlled “Riviera of the Middle East.” The US plans also called for the displacement of the territory’s more than two million Palestinians to other countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, which Arab nations swiftly rejected.

The Arab new plan proposes to rebuild Gaza over five years, exclude Hamas from governance while gradually restoring Palestinian Authority (PA) control, and deploy international peacekeepers to ensure security in the region.

In a 91-page document, the leaders outlined a three-phase reconstruction plan that includes the clearing of debris, followed by housing and infrastructure redevelopment, and eventually the establishment of an airport, two seaports, and an industrial zone.

Egypt and Jordan will train a Palestinian police force to facilitate the PA’s return to Gaza, while governance will be overseen by an independent “Gaza Administrative Committee” during the transition.

The plan explicitly rejects any forced displacement of Palestinians, with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit saying that Palestinians “have the right to live in peace on their land.”

The PA and Hamas have expressed support for the plan, though the armed group insisted that all Palestinian factions must be consulted before inviting international peacekeepers into Gaza.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, pledged to reform the PA, appoint a deputy, and hold elections “in the coming year” to ensure a unified Palestinian leadership.

However, Israel and the United States dismissed the proposal, with Israeli officials accusing Arab nations of rejecting an opportunity for Gazans “to have free choice” under Trump’s plan, the BBC noted.

The US and Israel argued that the proposal does not align with the realities on the ground, especially that the enclave is nearly uninhabitable.

Analysts said that despite unanimous support among Arab nations, there are questions regarding the financing of the plan and what exactly will happen to Hamas, including the latter’s disarmament.

Meanwhile, the Arab summit coincided with growing uncertainty over the ceasefire in Gaza, which expired Saturday after an initial six-week truce.

Israel since the weekend has blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza, demanding that Hamas accept a new US proposal for a temporary extension. But the Iran-backed group emphasized that negotiations must proceed to the second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for a full Israeli military withdrawal.