CAIRO, March 5 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty confirmed that the Extraordinary Arab Summit held Tuesday was extremely successful, noting that it took place in a very positive atmosphere, with constructive discussions and agreement on all of Egypt’s proposals regarding Gaza.

He added in a press conference that what Egypt presented has now become an official Arab outcome following the summit, explaining that the next phase will involve efforts to gain support from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the international community for these outcomes. The top diplomat pointed out that Egypt has prepared a detailed plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, developed in coordination with the Palestinian government and based on studies, statistics, and data provided by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

He emphasized that the plan has been translated into English, and once approved, an intensive international promotion campaign will begin. He clarified that Egypt will engage with the United States, the European Union, Japan, and other international powers to garner support for its implementation.

The foreign minister highlighted that the plan includes a comprehensive vision for rapid early recovery programs, spanning six months to one year. The goal is to provide temporary housing for Palestinians living in the open in the war-ravaged Gaza, as well as to clear debris and address unexploded bombs and missiles, he said.

He explained that the first phase, referred to as the "early recovery" phase, also includes social protection programs for the Palestinian people and stressed that the primary objective is to provide urgent housing for Palestinians who have lost their homes due to the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Abdelatty added that the temporary housing will take various forms, including prefabricated homes, tents, and the rehabilitation of partially damaged houses. He noted that, according to estimates, 330,000 homes have been destroyed, with about 60,000 partially damaged. These homes will be rebuilt quickly and at a lower cost, he said.

He noted that the first phase of the plan includes two sub-phases, starting with the construction of 200,000 permanent housing units, to transfer Palestinians from temporary housing to permanent residences. This phase also includes debris removal, with an estimated 50 million tons of debris, 40 million tons from destroyed residential buildings and 10 million tons from demolished roads.

The minister emohasized that the Egyptian plan, based on reports from specialized international agencies, includes three approaches to dealing with the debris: recycling it for use in building materials, forming concrete blocks for construction, or filling parts of the sea to expand the Gaza Strip.

He mentioned that a detailed report has been prepared for dealing with unexploded bombs and missiles, with a specific timeline. This phase will also involve restoring essential services such as hospitals, road paving, drinking water and treatment centers, as well as sanitation services and more.

He further said that the first phase will last for two years with a cost of $23 billion, while the final phase will cost around $30 billion and extend for two and a half years. He noted that this phase will include the full restoration of essential services and the construction of an additional 200,000 housing units to accommodate the expected population increase, with Gaza's population projected to reach three million.

He confirmed that the plan also includes the establishment of a fishing port, a commercial port, and an international airport, stressing that the successful implementation of these three phases requires a conducive environment.

He pointed out that Egypt is making sincere efforts to address security and governance issues, including determining who will manage Gaza and who will be responsible for security there.

The minister emphasized that the priority in the current phase is to solidify the ceasefire, as its absence would not create an environment suitable for early recovery or reconstruction efforts. He stated that there is a plan for implementing the ceasefire, which has been agreed upon, and that all parties, especially Israel, must adhere to their commitments. He stressed that the use of starvation as a tool for collective punishment cannot be allowed.
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