Cairo: The Egyptian and Palestinian prime ministers emphasized the necessity of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate early recovery and reconstruction in the enclave as they met in Cairo on Sunday. Madbouly reaffirmed Egypt’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their right to remain on their land during reconstruction.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the Gaza reconstruction plan, developed by Egypt and approved at the recent extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo, will involve further coordination with various regional and international parties, as well as with Palestinians, to finalize its implementation details. Since last week, Israel has resumed extensive airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, breaking a ceasefire that had lasted for two months and killing hundreds of people.

The Israeli war in Gaza has claimed 50,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women and children, according to UN estimates, and devastated more than 60 percent of homes and 65 percent of roads. Earlier in March, Arab and Muslim leaders approved a $53 billion Egyptian plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, which ensures that Palestinian residents remain on their lands throughout the process. The European Union has also expressed support for the Arab plan.

The proposal aims to counter US-Israeli plans to permanently expel Gaza residents, with US President Donald Trump’s plan to ‘take over’ and ‘own’ Gaza drawing widespread condemnation. This five-year plan seeks to secure permanent housing for the 2 million residents of Gaza, the majority of whom have been displaced by the war, while establishing essential services and vital infrastructure, including an airport.

Politically, an administrative committee made up of Palestinian professionals and independent technocrats is set to govern Gaza, which is currently ruled by Hamas, until the Palestinian Authority reestablishes control over the enclave under the plan.