17-03-2025
Egypt's Gaza reconstruction plan gains widespread regional, international support
Palestinians' houses have been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip- photo by Palestinian journalists in Gaza
CAIRO – 17 March 2025: "In the presence of Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Badr Abdel Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, hosted a meeting on Monday, March 17, with over one hundred foreign ambassadors and representatives of embassies and international organizations regarding the rehabilitation of the health sector in the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, a visual presentation on the Gaza reconstruction plan was given.
Minister Abdel Aty presented the comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, developed by Egypt in coordination with the Palestinian government, noting that there are essential requirements for the plan's success.
These include stabilizing the ceasefire in Gaza, managing the early recovery and reconstruction phase in a manner that ensures Palestinian ownership and treats the situation in the Strip as an integral part of the Palestinian territories, and enabling the Authority to return to the Gaza Strip to fulfill its responsibilities by establishing an independent and non-factional committee to manage the affairs of the Strip for a transitional period under the umbrella of the Palestinian government. He also noted that Egypt and Jordan have begun training Palestinian police officers in preparation for their deployment in the Gaza Strip.
The Foreign Minister stressed that the Gaza reconstruction plan has received broad regional and international support, and that Egypt is currently working to arrange hosting a conference for the reconstruction of Gaza in Cairo to secure the necessary funding for the plan's implementation.
Abdel Aty also mentioned a proposal for the Security Council to consider establishing an international presence in the Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank, including through the adoption of a Council resolution to deploy international peacekeeping or protection forces with clear mandates and terms of reference, and within a timeframe that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
For his part, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, presented a comprehensive visual presentation on the rehabilitation of the health sector in the Gaza Strip. He outlined the most prominent features of Egypt's emergency health response and the health services provided to more than 107,000 Palestinian citizens who crossed into Egypt since the beginning of the war, which exceeded a cost of $570 million.
He also pointed out the features of the current deteriorating health situation in the Gaza Strip, in light of the shortage of medical supplies and the exit of more than 70% of health facilities in the Strip from service. He also addressed the details of the Egyptian proposal to rebuild and strengthen the health sector in the Strip, to raise its efficiency and respond to the basic health needs in the Strip, reviewing the expected costs of the proposed projects in this regard."
