United Arab Emirates seeks to manage Gaza Strip civil affairs & reconstruction with Israeli support - report

The United Arab Emirates has been conducting discreet talks with the United States and Israel, aimed at assuming management of civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s Channel 12 News reported on Sunday. 

According to the report, Abu Dhabi wants to take full responsibility for the civilian sector in the Gaza Strip, while investing billions of dollars in the first stage of reconstruction, planning to later expand investment to additional areas and projects within Gaza. 

The report comes amid the establishment of the technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which is set to govern the enclave under the supervision of the Gaza Executive Board. It also follows the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to Palestinian foot traffic for the first time since the Gaza War began in October 2023.

The UAE reportedly seeks to manage all market and trade activity in Gaza, in an attempt to remove one of the major funding sources from Hamas, which has historically charged various fees to merchants operating in Gaza. 

In addition to civilian activity, the UAE intends to deploy armed security forces to secure the logistics centers. At the same time, the report claims that private American security companies are also expected to operate in the Gaza Strip in coordination with the IDF, but without any IDF presence on the ground. 

The Channel 12 report stated that all goods entering Gaza will be purchased from Israel, and that the work itself will be carried out by Israeli contractors. The existing distribution centers will be upgraded and converted into advanced distribution centers that will supply goods to the private sector in the Gaza Strip. 

According to the report, the formulation of an agreement between the two countries is currently underway and will require Israeli and U.S. approval. The Israeli government is said to be supportive of the move. 

Senior Israeli officials familiar with the details of the negotiations told Channel 12, "The UAE is proposing to enter with all its force and be in fact the civilian patron.” 

“They are taking a risk and are willing to 'enter between Hamas’ legs.' We are in favor. It will not replace the dismantling of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and will only provide a civilian response of moderate and productive force.” 

The report comes just about one week after UK news site The Guardian reported that the UAE had created blueprints for “Gaza’s first planned community” in the Israeli-controlled areas of Rafah. The report said Palestinian residents of the community would receive basic services – including education, healthcare, utilities, and community markets – within a secure area, following security checks by Israeli authorities.

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The report included a slideshow of the purported plan, which references education in the community following the UAE’s “Culture of Peace” principles. 

The initial community will reportedly house up to 25,000 residents, with expansion planned for other areas of Rafah upon completion. According to slides provided during Jared Kushner’s speech about the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the initial reconstruction efforts will only begin in Israeli-controlled areas within Gaza.

At the time of publication, there was no official confirmation of the report by the governments of Israel or the UAE.