The Arab League summit convened in Cairo on Tuesday, where Arab leaders endorsed an Egyptian initiative to rebuild Gaza at a cost of $53 billion, with the goal of halting Palestinian emigration from the Strip. The move stands in contrast to President Donald Trump's vision of a "Middle Eastern Riviera."
The White House rejected the Arab proposal, with National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stating that the plan "does not address the reality that Gaza is uninhabitable and that its residents cannot live humanely in an territory covered in rubble and unexploded ordnance."
"President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas," Hughes added.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said the proposal, which was welcomed by Hamas but rejected by the US and Israel, was adopted at the conclusion of the summit he hosted in Cairo.
During the summit, El-Sisi expressed confidence that Trump could achieve peace in the conflict that has devastated Gaza. However, the plan does not address the central questions regarding Gaza's future, such as the role of Hamas and which countries would provide the billions of dollars needed for reconstruction.
El-Sisi emphasized that Egypt's plan would allow Palestinians to remain in the ruined territory. He said that independent Palestinian technocrats, who are not affiliated with Hamas, would administer the Strip once the war ends.
The committee would oversee humanitarian aid and manage Gaza's affairs on a temporary basis, in preparation for the return of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas stated that it welcomes the plan and the establishment of the Palestinian committee.
