Arab leaders discuss postwar Gaza

By Linda Bordoni

The summit is hosted by Egyptian President Abdel-Gattah el-Sissi and attended by regional leaders, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whose support is crucial for any postwar project. Discussions reportedly include a plan according to which Palestinians would be relocated to safe areas inside Gaza equipped with mobile homes and shelters as its cities are rebuilt, while Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control.

The initiative follows the US President’s suggestion last month to resettle Gaza’s roughly 2 million residents in other countries while the United States would take ownership of the war-ravaged territory and redevelop it into a Middle Eastern “Riviera.”

Continuing Israeli attacks

Meanwhile, as Israeli military continue to launch strikes in the West Bank, the Israeli Foreign Minister said on Tuesday his government is ready to proceed to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, as long as Hamas was ready to release more of the 59 hostages it is still holding.

Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January 19 under a truce arranged with U.S. support and Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Hamas has since exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

However, the initial 42-day truce has expired, and Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza to try to get Hamas to accept a new proposal and warned of additional consequences, raising fears of a return to war.

(Source Reuters and AP)