Honey trap? Egypt's troubling move in Gaza revealed

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdel Aaty, announced on Saturday that Egypt would train Palestinian police officers to deploy in Gaza and maintain security, a move framed as part of a broader plan to rehabilitate the enclave without displacing its residents. The statement, delivered at a joint news conference in Cairo with Mohammed Mustafa, the Palestinian Authority’s prime minister and foreign minister, underscored Egypt’s coordination with Palestinian leaders on Gaza’s future.

The proposal comes amid discussions of a U.S. initiative, backed by President Donald Trump, that reportedly includes relocating Palestinians from Gaza—a plan Abdel Aaty appeared to address indirectly. “We will present a feasible plan for Gaza’s rehabilitation without displacing residents,” he said, though he did not elaborate on the American proposal.

Egypt’s strategy, detailed in local reports, envisions “protected zones” within Gaza where Palestinians could live temporarily while Egyptian and international firms clear debris and rebuild infrastructure. The phased reconstruction, projected to span up to five years, would avoid mass exodus, equipping these zones with mobile shelters and continuous aid for an initial six-month recovery period.

A new Palestinian administration, independent of Hamas or the current Palestinian Authority, would oversee Gaza and manage the effort, according to Egyptian officials cited by Maariv. The announcement follows Egypt’s longstanding role as a mediator in Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, though its specifics remain under development.

The Cairo briefing highlighted a unified stance between Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, though neither side referenced ongoing ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which stalled this week. Israel’s proposal to extend its current phase without withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor was rejected by Hamas, officials said, though Egypt’s initiative appears separate from those negotiations.

Egypt’s plan contrasts with broader regional debates over Gaza’s postwar governance, with some analysts viewing it as a counter to external pressures for migration. Neither Egypt nor the U.S. has commented officially on how the proposals intersect, leaving the diplomatic implications unclear.