WASHINGTON, January 14. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will introduce a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip and form a new civilian administration there, which is expected to be launched after a deal is reached between Israel and the radical Palestinian Hamas movement, US officials told Axios.
The deployment of a military contingent from certain Arab countries in the Palestinian enclave will be a significant component of Blinken's plan.
According to the website's sources, the troops are intended to ensure security and maintain consistent supplies of humanitarian aid. However, it does not specify which Arab countries are expected to send troops to the Gaza Strip.
Previously, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia opposed the deployment of soldiers in the enclave, arguing that such a move would effectively position them as protectors of Israel against the Palestinians.
"Blinken wants to try and shape the outcome of the war and he will make clear in his speech how he thinks Israel can turn its tactical wins against Hamas into strategic gains," a US official told Axios.
The secretary of state opposes the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, the reduction of its territory, and the forced displacement of Palestinians from the enclave. He also believes that the Palestinian National Authority should play a role in forming a civilian administration in Gaza. However, Israel rejects this proposal and advocates for the establishment of an Arab-led administration instead.
Blinken hopes that his post-conflict settlement project will become the basis for Gaza reconstruction in the future, including for US President-elect Donald Trump, the sources say. According to them, Blinken's plan "has become a highly contentious issue" within the State Department, as its draft was based on Israeli and UAE proposals.
On January 8, Blinken announced that Israel and Hamas were close to reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. US officials acknowledged that the deal could be finalized before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
In May 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel deemed it necessary to establish a civilian government in the Gaza Strip with the assistance of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. The Financial Times reported that Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE held their first consultations with the US regarding participation in a peacekeeping operation. According to the newspaper, the Arab countries have not ruled out the possibility of deploying a multinational peacekeeping military contingent in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In July 2024, the UAE called for the establishment of a temporary international mission in Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis.