Arab leaders meet in Cairo today for emergency summit on Gaza

Arab leaders are gathering in Cairo today, on March 4, for an emergency summit focused on Gaza, discussing its reconstruction while ensuring that Palestinians are not displaced.

Ahead of the summit, foreign ministers met to finalize an "Arab plan" for rebuilding Gaza while ensuring the safety of its residents. They also reviewed Egypt’s reconstruction proposal, refining its details before presenting it to the leaders.

Read more: Gaza under attack, ceasefire collapses: Key morning developments

What prompted this emergency summit?

On Feb. 5, US President Donald Trump proposed taking control of Gaza, resettling Palestinians in Egypt and Jordan, and turning Gaza into "the Riviera of the Middle East."

Egypt and Jordan rejected the idea, vowing to present a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction while keeping Palestinians in their home.

On Feb. 21, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries met in Riyadh to prepare the summit’s agenda.

The draft final statement of the Arab Summit, set to take place today (Tuesday) in Cairo, has adopted the Egyptian plan for Gaza’s future and called on the international community and financial institutions to provide swift support for its implementation, according to Reuters.

The statement also welcomed an international conference in Cairo later this month focused on Gaza’s reconstruction. Additionally, Arab leaders called for elections across all Palestinian territories within one year, provided the necessary conditions are met.

The Egyptian Plan

Egyptian state media reported details of Cairo’s reconstruction plan for Gaza, which will be presented to Arab leaders at the summit. The plan emphasizes protecting Palestinian rights and dignity, as well as a two-state solution.

Key elements of the plan include establishing an independent, non-partisan technocratic committee to manage Gaza for a transitional period of six months under the Palestinian government’s umbrella. The plan also outlines efforts by Egypt and Jordan to train Palestinian security forces in preparation for deployment in Gaza.

The proposal condemns civilian deaths and unprecedented levels of violence in Gaza, stressing that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of Palestinian land. It calls for preserving the ceasefire, highlighting that any breakdown would obstruct humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.

Furthermore, the plan urges the international community to support Egypt, Qatar, and the US in stabilizing the ceasefire. It also suggests a phased approach to securing Palestinian sovereignty and reconnecting Gaza with the West Bank.

The plan raises the possibility of an international peacekeeping force in Palestinian territories, including Gaza and the West Bank, as part of a broader strategy to establish a Palestinian state. It also proposes a medium-term truce between Israeli Occupation and the Palestinian Authority, serving as a transitional period for confidence-building measures and halting unilateral actions.

As Arab leaders gather in Cairo, Egypt is expected to push forward its comprehensive plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, aiming to prevent any forced displacement and ensure a sustainable resolution to the crisis.