Egypt expressed its aspiration for the European Union to continue its support for the Palestinian Authority and to participate effectively and constructively in the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Conference, which Egypt is scheduled to host in cooperation with the United Nations and the Palestinian government.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, Cairo welcomed the European Commission's announcement on April 14 of a multi-year financial program for Palestinian recovery, estimated at €1.6 billion. This program reflects the European Union's support for the Palestinian Authority and the empowerment of its institutions, and contributes to achieving the aspirations of the Palestinian people and meeting their legitimate needs in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

To counter calls for the "displacement of Palestinians" from their land, the Arab Summit in Cairo last month approved an Egyptian proposal aimed at "early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, in specific phases, over a period of five years, at an estimated cost of $53 billion." The proposal to "displace Palestinians" from Gaza, advocated by US President Donald Trump and Israeli officials, has been met with widespread Arab and Islamic rejection.

Cairo called for an international conference to support the reconstruction of Gaza, in coordination with the United Nations. During a press conference with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Egypt this month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi indicated that "the conference will be held as soon as hostilities in the Strip cease."

According to a statement issued by the Egyptian Cabinet on Wednesday, Cairo affirmed that the European Union's position reflects an understanding of the need to support the Palestinian people at this critical stage in their history of struggle, and to work toward a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.

Egypt also welcomed the amount allocated to support Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) (82 million euros), especially since the agency's role in providing basic services and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees cannot be replaced or dispensed with.