- Arab nations released their own plan to remake Gaza as a counter to President Donald Trump's plan to turn the Gaza Strip into the "Riviera" of the Middle East.
- The new plan would let Palestinians stay in Gaza while also clearing, rebuilding and modernizing the region.
- Meanwhile, Israel set forth a new ceasefire plan that would have Hamas release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire.
Leaders from Palestine, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and even United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres attended a summit on Tuesday in Cairo, to discuss an alternative proposal to President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan.
At the summit, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi presented a counterproposal to Trump’s plan for Gaza after the war between Israel and Hamas ends.
Trump’s plan includes an American takeover of the Gaza Strip, with neighboring countries taking in the 2 million Palestinians still left in the region. He would then dismantle weaponry and buildings in the Gaza Strip, level the region and redevelop it into a place where tourists can visit, as the Deseret News previously reported.
Arab leaders completely rejected the proposal on Tuesday, and advanced their own idea.
The Arab plan for peace in the Middle East
Egypt’s $53 billion plan would see Gaza rebuilt by 2030 with its current population living in rebuilt homes.
A 112-page draft of the plan obtained by The Associated Press talks about several phases, which include the removal of weaponry, clearing millions of tons of rubble, a trust fund overseen by the World Bank to pay for reconstruction, temporary housing units and the recycling of ruins.
Like Trump’s plan, Egypt’s would also see Gaza completely renovated — with large green spaces, walkable urban areas and renewable energy. The rebuilt Gaza would include an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port.
In terms of political structure, Hamas would relinquish power to an independent interim administration until a new Palestinian Authority would take over.
While the Arab leaders rejected Trump’s ideas for Gaza, they praised the president for working toward a ceasefire, according to The New York Times.
The ceasefire “would not have been possible without the contributions of President Trump and his administration, which we hope will continue,” President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said, according to the Times.
Israeli reaction
Some of the terms set forth in the Arab plan for Gaza are unacceptable to Israel. Israel previously stated that it would not accept the presence of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has instead endorsed Trump’s plan for renewing Gaza.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire proposal agreed to by both Israel and Hamas is on the rocks. Israel just introduced a new ceasefire plan that it attributes to American Middle East diplomat Steve Witkoff, though Washington has not yet confirmed whether the plan actually originates from Witkoff.
Israel’s new plan asserts that Hamas must release half of the remaining Israeli hostages before it will extend the length of the ceasefire and begin to discuss lasting peace. The new plan does not signal whether or not Israel intends to release any more Palestinian prisoners.
The new plan has not yet been agreed to by Hamas.
Both sides have accused the other of violating the ceasefire’s terms, including continuing to fire upon one another or not allowing disbursement of humanitarian aid, per the AP.