El‑Sisi's controversial Gaza relocation plan faces backlash
The President of Egypt, Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, has expressed a willingness to temporarily accommodate up to half a million residents from the Gaza Strip in Sinai. His statement has stirred controversy in the region.
The President's proposal, reported by the Times of Israel and sourced from Lebanese media close to Hezbollah, involves relocating Palestinians to a designated city in northern Sinai. El-Sisi is said to have informed other Arab leaders about this plan.
The proposition has not been well received in Jordan, which opposes the relocation of Gaza Strip residents. The Times of Israel notes that this information hasn't been corroborated by other sources.
The idea of relocating residents from the Gaza Strip and placing the area under U.S. control was initially proposed by Donald Trump. The former U.S. president perceived this as a strategy to cease violence in the region and convert the devastated Gaza Strip into the "Middle East Riviera." Trump suggested Egypt and Jordan accommodate the Palestinians, prompting objections from these nations.
Situation in the Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip has experienced devastation due to over 15 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group governing the territory. The conflict commenced on 7th October 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths. The fighting has claimed the lives of over 48,000 Palestinians.
Arab countries, including Egypt, have devised a reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, focusing on rebuilding the territory without population displacement. The aim is to establish an independent Palestinian state in areas covering the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. This proposal serves as an alternative to Trump's plan.
