Egypt should take charge of Gaza for a period of 15 years in return for having its foreign debt erased, suggested Opposition leader Yair Lapid during his speech on Tuesday morning in Washington, DC. He introduced this proposal while addressing the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank with a conservative orientation.
Lapid’s initiative, unveiled publicly for the first time, envisions the international community and regional allies stepping in to cover Egypt’s outstanding financial obligations.
“During this period, Gaza will be rehabilitated, and conditions for self-governance will be created. Egypt will be the central player and oversee the reconstruction, which will further strengthen its economy,” Lapid stated in his remarks.

He argued that Israel’s priority is to hand over control of Gaza to an entity unconnected to Hamas, one that can guarantee security in the region. However, reconstructing Gaza requires a legitimate authority to lead the effort while also ensuring stability in collaboration with Israel.
Lapid emphasized that Egypt stands to gain significantly, as its struggling economy poses a risk not just to its own stability but to the broader Middle East as well.
“The external debt of $155 billion does not allow Egypt to rebuild its economy and strengthen its military,” he explained.
Under Lapid’s proposal, Egypt would assume governance of Gaza through a resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council. This arrangement would encompass internal security as well as the management of civilian affairs.
As outlined by Lapid, this form of control would be considered “trusteeship,” with the ultimate objective of handing Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority once it has undergone a process of reform and deradicalization, with specific progress markers in place.
Reconstruction efforts would commence under Egyptian oversight, with Saudi Arabia and countries that are part of the Abraham Accords contributing through designated working groups, modeled after the Negev Forum framework.
The United States is expected to invest in Gaza’s redevelopment in coordination with Egypt, based on a plan originally proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Lapid’s strategy also includes Egypt facilitating the departure of any Gaza residents who wish to leave and have a destination to relocate to in a structured manner.
Additionally, Egypt would take responsibility for curbing arms smuggling into Gaza, dismantling tunnels, and eliminating the remaining terrorist infrastructure in the region.
{Matzav.com Israel}