Israel to allow reconstruction of war-torn Gaza via third countries under ceasefire deal: Report

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Israel agreed to allow third countries to fund the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip under a ceasefire deal, Israeli media said on Thursday.

According to the Yedioth Ahronoth daily, Israel permitted funding and resources from Qatar and other countries to be used to rebuild the Palestinian enclave.

“For Hamas, this would mark a critical signal to Gaza’s Palestinian population that the war is concluding,” the newspaper said.

According to the daily, Israel has demanded contributions from other countries to the funding process to prevent Qatari domination, which initially suggested the plan during talks in Washington this week.

On Wednesday, Hamas said that it agreed to release 10 living hostages as a sign of “flexibility” to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

US President Donald Trump said earlier his administration is "getting very close to a deal" on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel are ongoing in the Qatari capital, Doha.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 57,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and the spread of disease.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.