The Middle East Eye has revealed that former U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s plan for the reconstruction of Gaza without the forced displacement of its residents.
According to the report, Egypt and Jordan believe they have successfully convinced Trump to abandon support for the forced expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. An Egyptian official confirmed that the United States has backed an Egyptian post-war plan for the Strip.
The official stated:
“This will be an Egyptian-led plan, supported and endorsed by the Arab world, and Trump has agreed to it.”
King Abdullah’s Key Role in Influencing Trump
The Egyptian official, who spoke to Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity, emphasized that Jordanian King Abdullah II’s visit to Washington was pivotal in persuading Trump to abandon his expulsion plan.
Arab governments, particularly Egypt and Jordan, saw the meeting as a significant victory.
While King Abdullah’s public remarks during the press conference did not openly oppose the forced displacement plan, the Egyptian official revealed that the closed-door meeting was very productive.
Although the Jordanian King did not directly confront Trump on his proposal to ‘control’ Gaza, the official confirmed that Abdullah privately warned Trump that such a plan would fuel Islamic extremism and destabilize U.S.-allied governments across the region.
The source added that Trump appeared “attentive and empathetic.”
Egypt Gains Influence Over Gaza’s Future
According to Middle East Eye, Egypt leveraged the momentum of King Abdullah’s meeting to gain Trump’s trust and establish itself as the primary decision-maker in post-war Gaza.
As a result, Egypt successfully negotiated a deal with Hamas to release six Israeli captives alive on Thursday—double the number stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.
An Egyptian official stated that Hamas agreed to the release in part because Israel permitted the entry of heavy machinery into Gaza to begin reconstruction.
Additionally, Israel allowed the entry of mobile homes that had previously been blocked. Hamas had earlier accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by restricting humanitarian aid and had threatened to halt all prisoner releases in response.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is expected to travel to Riyadh on Thursday to discuss Egypt’s proposed governance plan for Gaza post-war. Reuters was the first to report Sisi’s upcoming visit.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has informed Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, that it is prepared for conflict with Hamas to impose its governance over Gaza, according to Middle East Eye.
The Future of Gaza
An Egyptian official told Middle East Eye that, under Egypt’s proposal, a violent confrontation between the PA and Hamas would not be necessary. Instead, Hamas has agreed to step aside for a new Palestinian government that does not include senior PA officials from the West Bank.
However, the Associated Press reported that the Egyptian plan does not include Hamas or the PA. Instead, it proposes a new police force composed of former PA officers who remained in Gaza after 2007—the year Hamas won legislative elections and took control of the Strip.
In May, Middle East Eye reported that Hamas was willing to show “flexibility” regarding Gaza’s future governance, on the condition that any agreement be reached through Palestinian factions, not imposed by the United States or Israel.
An Egyptian official told Middle East Eye that Cairo’s proposal aims to prevent unilateral decision-making by ensuring that Gulf nations have “a direct role on the ground in Gaza” through reconstruction investments.
According to a joint assessment by the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank, released on Tuesday, the reconstruction of Gaza and the occupied West Bank will require more than $50 billion.
At least $20 billion will be needed in the first three years alone.
