Egypt blocks Gaza displacement plans, aiding residents’ return north, readying for reconstruction conference

CAIRO – 11 October 2025: Egypt has provided free transportation to Gaza residents returning to their homes in the north, following two years of war that have claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives and displaced almost the entire population.

More than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza on Saturday, according to the enclave’s civil defense department, in a journey marked by both heartbreak and hope.

With a ceasefire now holding across the territory following intensive indirect talks between Hamas and Israeli delegations in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh last week, thousands of displaced families in southern Gaza are making their way back to their original neighborhoods.

Egypt has thwarted Israeli plans to forcibly displace Gaza’s population, estimated at around 2.2 million people, toward Sinai, a move firmly rejected by Cairo, Arab nations, and the international community.

Egypt has repeatedly warned that any such attempt would undermine and effectively liquidate the Palestinian cause, stressing that the displacement of Palestinians under any pretext is “a red line” for Egypt.

Throughout the war, Israeli forces have continued to push Gaza’s residents southward toward the Egyptian border. Cairo, however, has emphasized that Egypt, serving as a constant conduit for humanitarian aid, will not become a gateway for displacement.

Crowds streamed along Al-Rashid and Salah Al-Din streets, heading toward areas reduced to rubble yet still carrying the meaning of home.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported last week that nearly 80% of Gaza’s structures have been damaged or destroyed since the outbreak of war in October 2023.

To assist returning residents, the Egyptian committee stationed in Gaza, which has been assisting in food distribution and humanitarian relief for months, has offered free transport to those heading north from areas including Khan Younis.

The committee previously announced that it will dispatch 100 trucks on Saturday morning to transport returnees, prioritizing the elderly, women, and children.

Meanwhile, Egyptian humanitarian aid convoys continue to flow steadily through the Rafah crossing.

On Friday, trucks from the 48th “Zad Al-Ezza – From Egypt to Gaza” convoy crossed into the strip via the Karam Abu Salem terminal, carrying food supplies, medical aid, and shelter materials, according to a source at the Rafah border.

In total, Egypt has sent more than 580,000 tons of humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza over the past two years — a lifeline for a population enduring immense hardship.

Now, as aid trucks move once again across the Rafah and Karam Abu Salem crossings, and as weary families return to rebuild their lives, Gaza stands at a fragile but hopeful turning point, with global attention fixed on what comes next.

The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel officially came into effect at noon on Friday, following the Sharm El-Sheikh talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Turkey.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israeli forces have completed their withdrawal to a designated line inside Gaza, according to Israeli reports, paving the way for Hamas to release dozens of Israeli captives, both living and deceased, over the next three days.

Egypt leads reconstruction efforts

Egypt is preparing to host an international conference on the reconstruction and early recovery of Gaza, aimed at rebuilding homes and other facilities while ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that Berlin wants to co-host the event alongside Egypt.

As part of efforts to counter displacement, Egypt has put forward a $53 billion reconstruction and early recovery plan for Gaza, which was endorsed last March by Arab and Muslim nations as well as much of the international community.