Gaza reconstruction plan ready, says Egypt

CAIRO — Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday that a Gaza reconstruction plan, which ensures Palestinians remain in their land, is ready and will be presented at an emergency Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the United Nations, the Arab Parliament, the Muslim World League and many countries around the world have strongly condemned Israel for blocking aid into Gaza.

The reconstruction plan will not be purely Egyptian or Arab, but will gain international support and funding to ensure its implementation, Abdelatty said.

"We will hold intensive talks with major donor countries once the plan is adopted at the upcoming Arab Summit," he said at a news conference. "We will ensure that the results of the Arab Summit are presented to the world in the best possible way."

Asked about the second phase of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Abdelatty said Egypt will continue its efforts to ensure the truce is maintained and negotiations for the second phase can begin.

The first phase of the fragile ceasefire deal expired over the weekend. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to the originally agreed-upon cease-fire that had been scheduled to move into the second phase. "It will be difficult, but with goodwill and political determination, it can be achieved," he said.

Former intelligence chief of Saudi Arabia, Turki Al-Faisal, said Israel bears financial responsibility for the damage it has inflicted on Gaza and the West Bank.

Financial responsibility

Appearing on Arab News' Frankly Speaking program, Turki laid out his case for why Israel should bear financial responsibility for the damage it has inflicted on Gaza and the West Bank — rather than the Gulf states footing the bill.

"I have been saying this for some time now that there should be a fund, a worldwide fund, for the reconstruction, not just in Gaza, but also in the West Bank. And Israel should be forced to chip into that fund," he said.

Israel on Sunday blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza as a standoff over the truce that has halted fighting for the past six weeks escalated. Abdelatty said the use of aid as a weapon of collective punishment could not be permitted.

The decision has also sparked fierce condemnation from Palestinian factions, international organizations and regional countries.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine called the Israeli move "a flagrant violation of the cease-fire" and an indication that Israel seeks to evade the second phase of the agreement.

Faisal Aranki, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, told Xinhua News Agency that the decision will worsen Gaza's already severe shortages of essential goods and medical supplies.

In a statement on X, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "humanitarian aid to flow back into Gaza immediately and for the release of all hostages", and urged "all parties to make every effort to prevent a return to hostilities in Gaza".

Tom Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, called Israel's decision "alarming".

Jordan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufyan Qudah said Israel's decision "threatens to reignite the situation" in Gaza, adding that Israel must "stop using starvation as a weapon against innocent Palestinians who are under siege, especially during the holy month of Ramadan".

Mike Gu in Hong Kong contributed to this story.

Agencies - Xinhua