The U.S. administration has rejected the long-awaited Gaza reconstruction plan backed by Arab leaders, stating that President Trump is committed to his own vision for the region, which includes the expulsion of Palestinian residents from Gaza and its transformation into a “riviera” under U.S. control.
The plan proposed by Egypt, which aims to have Hamas relinquish power to an interim administration until a reformed Palestinian Authority takes charge, would allow Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinian residents to remain. This contrasts sharply with Trump’s proposal, which envisions a dramatically different future for the territory.
Israel has already dismissed any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. The $53 billion Arab proposal, aimed at rebuilding Gaza by 2030, calls for removing unexploded ordnance and clearing millions of tons of debris caused by Israel’s bombings and military actions.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes responded, saying: “The current proposal does not address the reality that Gaza is currently uninhabitable, and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance. President Trump stands by his vision to rebuild Gaza free from Hamas.”
The ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, which has been in place since January, remains uncertain after its initial phase expired on Saturday. Israel supports an alternative U.S. proposal to extend the ceasefire and secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the war. However, Israel has imposed severe restrictions on Gaza, including blocking food, fuel, and medical supplies, to pressure Hamas into accepting the ceasefire.
In response to the proposed plan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi stated at the summit that “there will be no true peace” without the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israel, meanwhile, insists on maintaining indefinite security control over Gaza and the West Bank, territories captured during the 1967 Mideast war and which Palestinians seek for their future state.