From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
In Washington, Lapid presents ‘day after’ plan for extended Egyptian guardianship of Gaza
- See more Times of Israel on Google - add us as a Preferred Source
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Speaking in Washington DC, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid presents a plan for Gaza for the “day after” Hamas, envisioning an extended Egyptian guardianship of the Strip.
“Israel cannot agree to Hamas remaining in power,” says the former prime minister. “The Palestinian Authority is neither willing nor able to manage Gaza in the near future. Israeli occupation is neither desirable nor possible. A constant state of chaos is both a security threat and a humanitarian disaster.”
The plan would have Egypt take responsibility for managing Gaza for 8 years, with the option to extend to 15 years.
In exchange, Cairo would have its foreign debt paid off by the international community. Lapid argues that if Egypt’s economy does not recover, the regime’s “leadership is at risk. That is bad news for us all.”
Egyptian troops would be deployed to Gaza alongside forces from Gulf states, during which time “the conditions for self-governance in Gaza will be created and the process of the total demilitarization of Gaza will be completed.”
Immediate security threats would be handled by a joint Israel-Egypt-US mechanism.
Over the 8 years of Egyptian guardianship, the Palestinian Authority would undergo significant reforms in corruption, support for terrorism, and education in order to prepare for eventually assuming control of Gaza.
“Egypt is a key strategic partner and a reliable ally for almost fifty years,” says Lapid, speaking at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “A strong, moderate, pragmatic Sunni state and a crucial player in the region. President [Abdel Fattah] el-Sissi is a stabilizing force in the Middle East and Africa. He is a long-time fighter against religious fanaticism.”
Lapid calls for the completion of the ceasefire deal with Hamas and the release of all the hostages held in Gaza.
He backs elements of the Donald Trump vision for Gaza, in which Gazans are free to emigrate if they so choose, and the US will oversee massive investment into Gaza. At the same time, he notes that Egypt wants to avoid the transfer of Gazans into Egypt. Lapid does not call for Gazans to be evicted.
Lapid presented the plan to the top levels of the Trump administration, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
The Times of Israel Community.