Gaza reconstruction plan: Rejected by Israel and US but backed by Hamas, here's all you need to know

As Egypt unveiled the Gaza reconstruction plan on Tuesday while hosting an Arab League Summit in Cairo, Israel and the US rejected the proposal, while, the Palestinian militant group Hamas welcomed it.

Hamas welcomes the plan

Hamas in a statement welcomed the Arab proposal to rebuild the Gaza Strip under a future PA administration.

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"We welcome the plan to rebuild Gaza, and we call for the provision of all the elements needed for its success. We also appreciate Egypt's efforts in preparing to hold an international conference to rebuild Gaza," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement.

US, Israel reject the plan

The Trump administration rejected the plan, claiming that it does not address the reality that Gaza is currently unhabitable.

"Residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnances," it added.

The National Security Council spokesperson said President Donald Trump "stands by" his plan to "rebuild Gaza".

Moreover, Israel also rejected Egypt's plan, saying that it "failed to address realities" and accused the PA and the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA of "corruption" and "support for terrorism".

What is the Gaza reconstruction plan?

The plan consists of three major stages, including interim measures, reconstruction and governance. The first stage would last about six months, however, the other two phases would take place over a combined four to five years.

The Egypt plan aims to reconstruct Gaza, which has been destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war. They further aim to maintain peace and security and reassert the governance of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the region.

It would take a six-month interim period for the committee of Palestinian technocrats to clear the rubble from Salah al-Din Street, which is the main north-south highway in the Gaza Strip.

Once the roads in the territory get clear, 200,000 temporary housing units would be built to accommodate 1.2 million people and about 60,000 damaged buildings restored.

After the interim measures are completed, it would take another four to five years to build at least 400,000 permanent homes, building Gaza's seaport and international airport.

Moreover, water, a waste system, telecommunication services and electricity would also be restored.

It further calls for the establishment of a Steering and Management Council, which would be a financial fund supporting the interim governing body in Gaza.

Further, Egypt called for a USD 53 billion fund for the reconstruction of Gaza, with the money distributed over three phases. As per the plan, the fund will be sourced from several international sources including the UN and international financial organisation and foreign and private sector investments.

(With inputs from agencies)