Arab Leaders Meet in Cairo to Discuss Alternative to Trump's Gaza Plan

Arab leaders are convening in Cairo on Tuesday to explore an alternative to U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial plan to take control of war-torn Gaza and displace its Palestinian population. The Arab League summit is focused on Gaza's reconstruction, coming just one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his support for Trump’s proposal, calling it "visionary and innovative."

Palestinians, the Arab world, and many of Israel and the United States' allies have strongly condemned the plan, rejecting any measures that would forcibly expel Gaza's residents. The United Nations has estimated that Gaza's reconstruction will cost over $53 billion following the devastating war sparked by Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Ahead of the summit, Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo on Monday for a closed-door session to prepare a plan aimed at rebuilding Gaza without displacing its population. A source from the Arab League, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the plan would be presented for approval at the summit.

Leaders from several Arab nations are expected to attend, with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa set to deliver opening remarks.

Trump’s original proposal to "take over" Gaza and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East" while relocating its Palestinian residents to Egypt and Jordan sparked international outrage. Though he has since toned down his rhetoric, experts have warned that the plan could violate international law.

Ceasefire Stalemate
The Cairo summit comes as Israel and Hamas find themselves in a deadlock over the future of a fragile ceasefire that began on January 19. The first phase of the truce ended over the weekend, after six weeks of relative calm, which included exchanges of hostages and Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of critical aid.

Israel has expressed support for extending the truce’s first phase until mid-April, while Hamas is pushing for the transition to a second phase, which would ideally lead to a permanent end to the war.

Netanyahu, however, warned on Monday that Hamas would face "unimaginable consequences" if the group did not release the remaining hostages. A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, accused Israel of sabotaging the ceasefire and attempting to delay negotiations for the second phase.

Aid Blockage
As the first phase of the ceasefire ended, Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel was halting "all entry of goods and supplies" into Gaza, warning that Hamas would face "other consequences" if it did not accept an extension. This move has drawn criticism from Egypt, Qatar, the United Nations, and other regional governments, as well as from some of Israel's allies. Germany and Britain condemned the denial of humanitarian access, emphasizing that aid must not be blocked during negotiations.

The war has decimated Gaza’s infrastructure, leaving most buildings destroyed or damaged, displacing nearly the entire population, and triggering widespread hunger, according to the United Nations. Since the Hamas attack in 2023, over 1,200 people have died in Israel, most of them civilians, while Israel’s retaliatory actions in Gaza have killed nearly 48,400 people, also mostly civilians. Of the 251 captives taken during the attack, 58 remain in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.