The first session of a committee tasked with administering the Gaza Strip after the war commenced on Friday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. This development marks a significant step in international efforts to address the territory's future governance and recovery.
Key Focus on Relief and Reconstruction
Egyptian media outlet Qahera News TV reported that the initial meeting of the Palestinian National Committee, also referred to as the Gaza Administration Committee, focused primarily on relief efforts and postwar reconstruction plans. The committee's formation and the naming of its Palestinian members had been reported by various local, Palestinian, regional, and international sources in recent days.
The US Plan and Committee Structure
This move follows an announcement by US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff regarding the start of phase two of the American plan for Gaza. The phase is centered on a Peace Council framework. According to the reported plan, a Palestinian technocratic committee will handle civil administration and essential services as Israeli forces withdraw. Simultaneously, an international stabilization force would provide temporary security.
The entire structure is envisioned to operate under the supervision of a Peace Council, reportedly to be led by US President Donald Trump and backed by a future United Nations Security Council resolution.
Leadership and Members of the Technocratic Committee
The committee is chaired by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian deputy planning minister. Other known members appointed to oversee specific sectors include:
- Omar Shamaly for telecommunications
- Abdul Karim Ashour for agriculture
- Raed Yaghi for health
- Raed Abu Ramadan for trade and the economy
- Jabr al-Daour for education
- Bashir al-Rais for finance
- Ali Barhoum for water and municipalities
- Hanaa Tarzi for social affairs and women’s issues
The Cairo meeting on Friday represents a concrete, though initial, step in a complex process aimed at stabilizing Gaza and planning for its future after the prolonged conflict. The involvement of a technocratic body and an international force underscores the challenges of transitioning from war to peace and reconstruction in the devastated enclave.
