Leading European nations have said they support an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would cost $53 billion (£41 billion), and avoid displacing Palestinians from the territory.
The plan, drawn up by Egypt, and endorsed by Arab leaders, has been rejected by Israel, and by US President Donald Trump, who presented his own vision to turn the Gaza Strip into a “Middle East Riviera“.
On Saturday the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Britain welcomed the plan, which calls for Gaza to be rebuilt over five years, as “realistic”.
In a statement, they said the proposal promised “swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions” for the people of Gaza.
The plan calls for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a committee of independent experts, and for international peacekeepers to be deployed to the territory.
The committee would be responsible for overseeing humanitarian aid and temporarily managing Gaza’s affairs under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.
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The proposal was drawn up amid growing concern that Gaza’s fragile ceasefire deal could collapse after the six-week first phase expired on 1 March.
Israel has blocked aid from entering the territory to pressure Hamas to accept a new US proposal for a temporary extension of the truce, during which more hostages held in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
But Hamas has insisted that the second phase of the ceasefire, which would see the full withdrawal of Israeli troops, should begin as agreed.
Israel will send a negotiating team to Qatar today, to take part in talks on extending the ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
It remains unclear if or when the second phase of the ceasefire agreement will be implemented. But a Hamas spokesman, Abdel Latif al-Qanoua, spoke of “positive indicators” for next week’s talks.
The Arab-backed plan for Gaza’s future is an alternative to Trump’s idea for the US to take over the territory and resettle its population.
