Cairo, March 24 (IANS) Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and his Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Mustafa met here to discuss ongoing efforts to revive the ceasefire in Gaza and advance its reconstruction.
During the meeting, Madbouly stressed the need to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza and begin the process of early recovery and reconstruction in the territory, reaffirming Egypt’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their right to remain on their land, according to a statement from the Egyptian cabinet released on Sunday.
He said that the Egypt-proposed Gaza reconstruction plan, which was approved by an emergency Arab summit earlier this month, will witness further coordination with various regional and international parties, including the Palestinian side, to push forward its implementation, Xinhua news agency reported.
Mustafa, in turn, underscored the importance of upholding the ceasefire to facilitate recovery and rebuilding efforts.
He also briefed Madbouly on Palestine’s ongoing diplomatic engagements with Arab, Islamic, and international actors to address the situation in Gaza, and its preparations for a Gaza reconstruction conference, which is to be held in Cairo.
The two sides agreed to continue consultations and coordination during the coming period to support efforts aimed at implementing the reconstruction plan and maintaining the ceasefire.
The Arab summit, held on March 4, approved the $53 billion plan, which aims to rebuild Gaza over five years without displacing its residents.
The situation in Gaza has deteriorated rapidly.
Since early Tuesday, the Israeli military has resumed intense airstrikes across the enclave, effectively ending a two-month truce.
Since last week, Israel has resumed extensive airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, breaking a ceasefire that had lasted for two months and killing hundreds of people.
The Israeli war in Gaza has claimed 50,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women and children and, according to UN estimates, and devastated more than 60 per cent of homes and 65 per cent of roads.
The Gaza-based health authorities reported on Sunday that at least 673 people have been killed and 1,233 wounded since then.
The European Union has also expressed support for the Arab plan.
The proposal aims to counter US-Israeli plans to permanently expel Gaza residents, with US President Donald Trump’s plan to “take over” and “own” Gaza drawing widespread condemnation.
This five-year plan seeks to secure permanent housing for the 2 million residents of Gaza, the majority of whom have been displaced by the war, while establishing essential services and vital infrastructure, including an airport.
Politically, an administrative committee made up of Palestinian professionals and independent technocrats is set to govern Gaza, which is currently ruled by Hamas, until the Palestinian Authority reestablishes control over the enclave under the plan.
–IANS
int/khz
