Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan bars Hamas from governance

Egypt’s reconstruction plan for Gaza, that is being drawn up with the assistance of the World Bank, is coming into sharper view.  

It is centered on the Arab world’s firm position that the roughly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza should not be removed from their territory and resettled to Jordan and Egypt, either temporarily or permanently, countering a controversial proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump.

To address Israeli concerns, the plan aims to exclude Hamas from both the rebuilding process and governance of the territory, the Guardian reports. Saudi Arabia has not yet expressed support for this. 

Management of the rebuilding process would reportedly be granted to a social support committee that does not include members of Hamas. The committee would be independent of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, but it would rely on it for certain aspects, i24 news reports. 

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are reportedly willing to finance Gaza's reconstruction on the condition that Palestinians are allowed to remain on their land.

Egyptian companies are expected to lead the rebuilding efforts, employing Palestinian workers, according to i24 News.

For Israel, key concerns include ensuring security measures that prevent Hamas from regaining strength in Gaza. No country has yet offered to deploy military forces on the ground in Gaza.

Approximately 65% of Gaza has been devastated by the recent conflict, with reconstruction projected to take three to five years. The comprehensive reconstruction plan is set to be officially presented by Arab nations on February 27th at the Arab summit in Riyadh.