Egypt, Arab countries meet to discuss Trump’s Gaza plan, offer counterproposal

Arab leaders were convened in Cairo on Tuesday for an emergency summit aimed at countering President Donald Trump's Gaza plan. The summit was held to discuss Egypt's comprehensive $53 billion reconstruction blueprint in Gaza.

Egypt and other Arab countries showed little interest in rebuilding Gaza before Trump resettled Gazan outside the enclave. However, given that Egypt has ruled out the acceptance of Palestinians who have been displaced for “national security” reasons, I feel now forced to devise a plan of its own.

With a price tag of $53 billion, the plan is positioned as an alternative to Trump's vision, with key details already being shared in Arab media. Egypt has proposed a temporary committee to manage Gaza for six months, but it has made it clear that Palestinians will not accept Palestinians or governing bodies that are not foreign troops within Gaza. The plan is projected to take at least four and a half years.

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Egypt's plans are divided into two phases. The first lasts for two years and costs around $20 billion, while the second is an allocation of $3 billion over two and a half years. The funds will be directed primarily towards the reconstruction of residential areas that have been devastated by conflict.

Importantly, the plan, as Trump's proposal, does not call for the movement of Gaza residents, but emphasizes the importance of Palestinian-led reconstruction efforts, and Palestinian authority will work with Egypt and Jordan to train Gaza police. However, Hamas has already rejected the plan, making it clear that Palestinian authority will not engage in reconstruction efforts as long as Hamas remains in control.

“There's a path to Saudi Arabia's state and if Hamas is gone, we'll fund Gaza,” Gais Al Omali, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute and a former executive director of the Palestinian American Task Force, told Fox News Digital. In symbolic cases, the diplomatic reason is whether the current Israeli government can meet these demands.

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On February 5, 2025, the view of widespread destruction of Gaza in Jabaria. (Youssef alzanou/Middle East Images/AFP Getty Images)

“Militarized Hamas cannot remain in Gaza. The strips are demilitarized, Hamas should no longer be in control. Emilates is even more extreme on this issue,” said Danny Zaken, a senior commentator at Israeli Heyo's newspaper, who is a senior commentator at Fox News Digital. Palestinian security forces maintain order with Egyptian support. This approach aims to unanimously approve without addressing Hamas' fate, but the reality is that in that case there is no actual validity as the plan has no financial support,” he explained.

“Arab League summits tend to be a lot of attitude. Who will take care of security? The PA can't handle it – they're too weak. The Arab states want to send their troops to Gaza, but they're also under pressure from the US to contribute.”

Egyptian diplomatic sources told Fox News Digital that Egyptian construction companies are ready to start work, but the real challenge is political. “Egyptian construction companies are extremely capable and can rebuild Gaza in three years with the political will, primarily from Israel and the US,” the source said.

Jordanian King Abdullah II and President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House's oval office on February 11, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Egypt wants to lead the reconstruction process, but its ambitions have created friction with the Gulf countries, which is expected to fund many efforts. Zaken said, “Because the Saudi Arabians want to control the entire process. Who will get the money, who will oversee the reconstruction, who will be the contractor for the demolition and reconstruction?

A former US Foreign Office official warned Fox News Digital that Egypt's ability to manage such funds is a concern. “The Gulf, which is expected to pay for it, is tired of Egypt's corruption. If they fund the reconstruction, they will demand great surveillance to ensure that money is not lost in Egypt's power structure,” the source said.

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Members of the Hamastello group will gather in Gaza to prepare for the release of four female hostages as part of their ceasefire agreement with Israel. (TPS-IL)

Meanwhile, Jordan, which has played an important diplomatic role, has been able to avoid direct involvement in the reconstruction debate. Following King Abdullah's meeting with Trump, Jordanian officials felt the pressure had shifted to Egypt and other Arab countries. “The Jordanians were very pleased with the outcome of the meeting with Trump. They feel pressured to accept it. [a] Millions of Gazan are out of them,” Al Omali said.

At the same time, Gaza's broader political future remains uncertain. Al Omali noted that despite ongoing reconstruction debates, the main concern for Arab leaders is how to navigate Trump's unpredictable stance on Gaza. “Frankly, the main idea of ​​the Arab government right now is how to engage in a secret process with Trump and bring him back from here. No one expects immediate results, but I hope this will slow him from the idea that Trump will neglect Gaza,” he said.

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For now, all eyes are on the top. But as one previous diplomatic source said, “We don't have a real plan yet. It's just an idea. Everyone is trying to shape it in a positive way, but we're all talking in circles until Hamas' fate is resolved.”