Israel's opposition leader proposes 15-year Egyptian administration of Gaza

The latest proposal for Gaza’s future envisions Egypt taking over the territory for 15 years eventually transferring contol over to a reformed Palestinian Authority. In exchange, Egypt’s foreign debt would be wiped out.

The idea was put forth by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid at a Washington think tank on Tuesday, Lapid, who leads the centrist Yesh Atid party, suggested that Egypt’s estimated $155 billion foreign debt be covered by the international community. However, he did not specify how this would be funded, Bloomberg reports

The future governance of Gaza has been a topic of intense debate among regional and global stakeholders. Several proposals have emerged.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested transforming Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East” under U.S. control, while relocating about 2 million Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan, and other countries.

Arab nations have proposed partially funding Gaza’s reconstruction while ensuring Hamas plays no governing role. In return, they seek an Israeli commitment to Palestinian statehood—an idea Israel has firmly rejected.

Lapid’s proposal envisions Egypt overseeing both security and civil administration in Gaza under a United Nations Security Council resolution. The U.S. would play a role in securing financial investments for the territory’s development.

Additionally, Lapid emphasized that Israel should neither occupy nor annex Gaza, pushing back against calls from some right-wing parties in Israel’s Knesset advocating for direct control.

His plan also includes Israeli-Egyptian cooperation on security matters to address potential threats in the region.

When asked whether Benjamin Netanyahu’s government would back his plan, Lapid told Bloomberg: “If I thought that they are the right people to manage the future of Israel, I would probably not be the leader of the opposition.”