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.
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 place.
On Feb. 21, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries met in Riyadh to prepare the summit’s agenda.
A draft of the plan, reviewed by Reuters, reveals that it calls for sidelining Hamas in Gaza’s administration. The proposal suggests replacing Hamas with temporary bodies managed by Arab, Islamic, and Western nations.
The draft does not clarify whether the proposal will be implemented before or after a permanent peace agreement is reached to end the Gaza war. It also leaves unanswered questions regarding the financing of the reconstruction and the governance of the region.
The summit in Cairo brings together key Arab leaders, including Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Bahrain’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, and Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. Syria’s delegation is led by interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, with Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani attending preparatory meetings.
The Presidents of Tunisia and Algeria are absent from the summit, having sent their foreign ministers to represent their countries at the summit.
