Netherlands to co-host Gaza reconstruction conference in Egypt

The Netherlands will co-host an international conference on the reconstruction of Gaza in Egypt, caretaker Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel (VVD) said Tuesday during a joint press briefing with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

Egypt has invited Germany, France, and Japan to also participate as co-organizers, though it is not yet clear whether these countries will join. No further details have been released about the conference’s date or agenda.

The conference comes as the United Nations estimates that approximately 193,000 homes and buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by ongoing conflict.

Van Weel said the meeting in Cairo primarily focused on U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel began Monday evening in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, with Egyptian and Qatari officials acting as mediators.

“The start of the negotiations is reason for cautious optimism that we will succeed in ending the catastrophic situation in Gaza, securing the release of hostages, and finding a sustainable solution in line with international law,” Van Weel said.

He emphasized that it is crucial for the Palestinian Authority to assume responsibility for governing Gaza in the future, maintaining connections with the West Bank and preserving prospects for a two-state solution.

The Netherlands has previously pledged 20 million euros for Gaza’s reconstruction, half of which has already been allocated to UNICEF to restore the territory’s water supply.

Egyptian state media reported Tuesday that the first round of Hamas-Israel talks ended “in a positive atmosphere.” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised the peace plan on Monday, saying the delegations were “on the right path toward lasting peace and stability.”

The plan aims to end the conflict that began exactly two years ago when Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis. Since then, Israeli bombardments of Gaza have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.