Although Egypt and other Arab countries have been focusing on implementing the 20-point Gaza agreement, they have not been clear about the steps they are willing to take to see it through.
This comes after US officials visited Israel, including the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty, was quoted in Al Arabiya as saying that the country’s priority is “to implement all provisions of the Gaza agreement.”
He called for full implementation now that “the war is halted, and the reconstruction process begins.”
“As the discussions on the second phase of the Gaza reconstruction agreement began, amid a lull in Israeli airstrikes due to the ceasefire, Egypt reiterated its position,” Abdelatty reportedly said, according to Al Arabiya.
These latest comments came from Egypt, as its foreign minister met with Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on the sidelines of the Egypt-EU summit in Brussels.
The Egyptian said, “The full implementation of the agreement’s provisions will ensure the consolidation of the ceasefire, the cessation of the war, and the commencement of the reconstruction process.”
Per Al Arabiya, “He also announced that preparations are underway to hold the International Conference on Early Recovery, Reconstruction and Development in Cairo next month.”
Cairo wants the active participation of European countries to stabilize Gaza.
Abdelatty “expressed Egypt’s aspiration to elevate relations with Romania to the level of a comprehensive partnership, pointing to the promising opportunities the Egyptian market offers Romanian companies and the pivotal role Romania can play in supporting the strengthening of relations between Egypt and the European Union, especially with the approaching celebration of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries,” according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.
US is pushing for the next phase
The second phase of the Gaza plan is now in the spotlight. “This comes as the US administration is pushing for the next phase of the plan, which focuses on reconstruction and the deployment of international Arab and Islamic forces to Gaza to maintain security, prepare Palestinian forces, and form a Palestinian government composed of technocrats under the supervision of an international body,” Al Arabiya noted.
Different reports are also discussing former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s possible role in Gaza. One report in the Financial Times appeared to say there was some concern about his part. It was not clear if this report was confirmed.
Meanwhile, Al-Akhbar in Lebanon said that the US has “revealed a list of countries that could contribute to the deployment of an international stabilization force in the Gaza Strip.”
Al-Akhbar is considered to be pro-Hezbollah and thus critical of Washington. The report said that Rubio had provided details on a flight.
Rubio noted that “the United States is in talks with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey on this matter, with interest from Indonesia and Azerbaijan,” Al-Akhbar said.
America’s state secretary also “declared that he does not envision a permanent division of the Gaza Strip, stressing that Israel has no interest in occupying it,” the report said.