reported from the source

Quick summary: The Palestinian transitional administration for the Gaza Strip convened in Cairo to address the reconstruction of the devastated coastal area, estimated to cost around $50 billion.

The new transitional administration for the Gaza Strip held its first meeting in Cairo. According to committee head Ali Schaath, the Palestinians were pleased with the establishment and work of this committee aimed at their recovery. The committee is set to govern the Palestinian territory under U.S. supervision. The Gaza Strip has been ruled by the militant Islamist group Hamas for nearly two decades. On Wednesday, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority agreed on the composition of the technocratic body, which consists of 15 Palestinians led by Schaath. The transitional administration is expected to oversee daily decisions in the Palestinian territory, including reconstruction efforts. The U.S. government announced the start of the second phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on the same day. According to a plan presented last year by former U.S. President Donald Trump, the transitional administration will be monitored by a ‘Peace Council’ that Trump claims he will lead. Schaath stated that he aims to restore infrastructure and the economy, which he estimates will take nearly three years. The creation of new housing is particularly important to restore dignity to displaced persons currently living in makeshift tents. An analysis by ARD and BR indicates that about two-thirds of all houses in the Gaza Strip were damaged or destroyed during the two-year conflict with Israel, with even higher destruction rates in cities like Gaza City and Rafah. Schaath’s suggestion to push debris into the sea with bulldozers has raised skepticism in both Gaza and Israel, as 68 million tons of debris need to be cleared, complicated by unexploded ordnance. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at around $50 billion, potentially lasting until 2040. Another challenge is the disarmament of Hamas, which is unwilling to relinquish its weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly described the second phase of the ceasefire as merely symbolic, as a dead hostage remains in the Gaza Strip, which Israel sees as a key condition unmet. The ceasefire, in effect since October 10, 2025, is fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violations. On Friday, the Israeli army stated it attacked the Gaza Strip in response to a ‘violation’ of the ceasefire, targeting ‘multiple terrorists,’ including Hamas commanders and members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters and allied militias attacked Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages into the Gaza Strip.

Source: www.tagesschau.de