Egypt urges for early reconstruction of Gaza without displacing its population
Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi stressed the necessity of starting the early recovery and reconstruction plan in the Gaza Strip without displacing its population.
Sisi made the remarks during a meeting in Cairo with Ammar Al-Hakim, an influential cleric and politician from Iraq, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The two sides agreed on the urgent need for the full, phased implementation of the ongoing ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, the statement added.
They dismissed any proposals to displace the Palestinians, which they said could undermine the Palestinian issue and threaten the security of regional countries, Xinhua news agency reported.
The two sides highlighted the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders as the sole guarantee for securing lasting peace in the region.
Egypt has been stepping up efforts to support war-ravaged Gaza by receiving and treating sick and injured residents, delivering aid supplies, and advancing the Strip’s reconstruction.
A total of 878 Gaza patients and 2,400 accompanying individuals have crossed into Egypt via the Rafah crossing since the Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19, Egypt’s press centre said on Monday.
It added that 8,000 trucks carrying 150,000 tons of aid supplies and over 20,000 tents have reached Gaza from the the Egyptian side.
Also on Monday, Egypt’s North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer confirmed to Xinhua that Egypt has proposed a three-phase Gaza reconstruction plan, estimated to take three to five years to address the Strip’s infrastructure, housing, and other critical needs.
The plan came amid heightened concerns and widespread criticism over US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to redevelop Gaza and relocate its population to neighbouring countries, including Egypt.