Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. AFP
In an interview with Al Sharq News published on Friday, Abdelatty emphasised that the plan assigns security responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority.
He noted a positive shift in the US stance on Gaza, citing President Donald Trump's recent remarks rescinding the displacement of residents in Gaza as a significant development.
"We appreciate the importance of this statement at this time," the foreign minister said.
He noted that during a meeting with US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff in Doha on Wednesday, Arab and Islamic ministers agreed that the Arab-Islamic plan should serve as the foundation for rebuilding Gaza.
"These are laudable and positive developments," he added.
Abdelatty underscored that the Arab-Islamic plan for reconstructing Gaza is comprehensive, noting that it addresses detailed technical aspects, specific timeframes, and phases.
He dismissed claims that the plan ignored governance and security issues.
"We were required to address these issues, and the plan cannot be implemented without specific conditions, particularly the sustainability of the ceasefire," he said, adding that the plan addresses three issues: ceasefire, governance, and security.
He pointed out that a renewed offensive in Gaza would preclude reconstruction or recovery efforts, making the ceasefire's consolidation, guaranteed by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, critical.
In addition, Abdelatty explained that the plan proposes a 15-member committee of Palestinian technocrats from Gaza, unaffiliated with any faction, to run the strip for six months, pending agreement among Palestinian factions.
However, he declined to name potential committee members, stressing that the committee would oversee a transitional period, during which the Palestinian Authority (PA) would gradually assume administrative and governance responsibilities.
On security, Abdelatty noted that existing Palestinian police forces in Gaza, who report to and are paid by the PA, would be retrained to maintain stability and enforce laws and that recruits would be trained and deployed to fill the security vacuum.
Moreover, the foreign minister reiterated the importance of re-establishing the Palestinian Authority's presence in Gaza and reinforcing the territorial unity between Gaza and the West Bank as the foundation of a future Palestinian state.
"The basic principle is the deployment of the Authority in Gaza, confirming the objective connection between the West Bank and Gaza as the future territory of the Palestinian state," he said.
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