Egypt, Saudi FMs discuss Cairo conference on Gaza reconstruction amid ceasefire push - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

2 days ago

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, discussed preparations for Egypt's upcoming international conference on the Gaza Strip's early recovery and reconstruction, which Cairo will host in coordination with the United Nations (UN) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) once a ceasefire is reached.
The Cairo conference, delayed since March, aims to implement the Arab–Islamic plan for Gaza's post-war recovery. Egypt postponed the conference after Israel unilaterally ended the 19 January ceasefire with Hamas—brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US—on 18 March.
Over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its war on the Strip in October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Abdelatty and Prince Faisal held a phone call on Saturday evening, during which the Egyptian minister briefed his counterpart on ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and ensure the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
The call came as Israel prepared to send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for indirect talks with Hamas, two days after the group said it was ready 'to engage immediately and seriously' in negotiations following consultations with other Palestinian factions. The Israeli visit to Doha precedes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday to discuss a potential deal.
On Friday evening, Trump said there 'could be a Gaza deal next week,' following Hamas' positive response to the proposed truce framework.
The $53 billion Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan — endorsed at the Cairo Extraordinary Arab Summit on 4 March and backed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the European Union (EU), China, and Russia — is framed as a regional alternative to Trump's so-called 'Riviera of the Middle East' plan, which critics say risks displacing Palestinians under the guise of economic development.
In recent televised remarks, Abdelatty said Egypt, in coordination with the UN and the World Bank, had completed preparations for the two-day Cairo conference, including its agenda, expected outcomes, and logistical framework.
He added that the conference will include four workshops focused on early recovery, private sector involvement, security arrangements, and post-war governance in Gaza. The discussion follows the postponement of a separate UN-backed conference on a two-state solution, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France and initially scheduled for next week in New York. The delay was attributed to 'logistical and security reasons.'
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt's preference for the language of 'realizing the Palestinian state' over the term 'two-state solution,' which he argued allows Israel, whose government opposes the concept, to veto its implementation effectively. He also emphasized Egypt's immediate priority: ensuring Palestinians can remain on their land and avoid forced displacement through rapid recovery efforts, including temporary housing for displaced families.
Addressing previous international proposals to redevelop Gaza's coast, Abdelatty firmly rejected the idea. 'Displacement is a red line for both Egypt and Jordan,' he said.
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