Egypt is pushing for an international presence in Gaza and the West Bank, proposing UN-backed peacekeeping forces to pave the way for Palestinian statehood and secure a lasting ceasefire.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated on Monday that there is a proposal for the UN Security Council to consider establishing an international presence in Gaza and the West Bank as a step toward creating an independent Palestinian state.
Speaking at a meeting in Cairo with foreign ambassadors and representatives of international organizations regarding the rehabilitation of Gaza’s health sector, Abdeatty referenced the proposal, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
He explained that the initiative involves a UNSC resolution to deploy international peacekeeping or protection forces with defined mandates and a clear timeline, ensuring the establishment of a Palestinian state.
However, the Egyptian foreign minister did not specify the current stage of the proposal’s consideration, though he noted that the emergency Arab summit on Palestine in Cairo on March 4 addressed this issue in its final statement.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also highlighted on Monday that the Arab plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, adopted by the Arab Summit, has received significant regional and international backing. Egypt is now reportedly working to organize a reconstruction conference in Cairo to secure the necessary funding for the plan’s implementation.
Abdelatty emphasized key conditions for the plan’s success: maintaining a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring Palestinian leadership in the reconstruction process, and treating Gaza as an integral part of Palestinian territories. He also stressed the importance of enabling the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza and manage its affairs through an independent, non-factional committee under the Palestinian government’s umbrella.
Additionally, he noted that Egypt and Jordan have begun training Palestinian police forces in preparation for their deployment to Gaza.
The Arab Summit’s reconstruction plan, developed by Egypt, aims to rebuild Gaza over five years with a budget of $53 billion while ensuring that Palestinians remain in their land. However, both Israel and the United States have rejected the plan, instead endorsing a proposal initially promoted by former US President Donald Trump, which suggested displacing Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Qatar and Egypt with US support, concluded on March 1, 2025. The agreement, which started on January 19, has yet to progress to the second phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refrained from advancing to this stage, seeking to secure the release of more Israeli prisoners without meeting the phase’s commitments—particularly, ending military operations and withdrawing from Gaza, a condition Hamas insists upon.
(PC, AJA)
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