Egypt developing plan to rebuild Gaza without forcing out Palestinians

Egyptian officials have been discussing the plan with European diplomats as well as with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows tents amidst the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip (AP Photo/Mohammad Abu Samra)

Egypt is developing a plan to rebuild Gaza without forcing Palestinians out of the strip in a counter to President Donald Trump’s proposal to depopulate the territory so the US can take it over.

Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said the proposal calls for establishing “secure areas” within Gaza where Palestinians can live initially while Egyptian and international construction firms remove and rehabilitate the strip’s infrastructure.