Comprehensive regional peace framework involving neighboring Arab countries is widely considered essential to stabilizing the cease-fire and successfully rebuilding Gaza.

A purely bilateral or international-only approach has repeatedly proven inadequate. For any post-conflict arrangement to be durable and legitimate, it must integrate the political, security, and economic "buy-in" of key regional players.

The Imperative of Regional Engagement

The involvement of neighboring Arab states—particularly Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—is not just beneficial but foundational for a successful Gaza recovery. Their proximity, historical ties, financial clout, and diplomatic influence offer unique tools for securing a fragile peace and laying the groundwork for a viable Palestinian future.

Stabilizing the Cease-fire: Security Guarantees and Monitoring

A cease-fire's permanence hinges on credible security guarantees that both Israel and Palestinian factions can trust. This is where Arab states can play a decisive role.

The Role of an Arab-Backed Stabilization Force

One of the most critical proposals in regional and international peace plans is the deployment of an International Stabilization Force or a similar mechanism in Gaza. Arab countries are uniquely positioned to contribute to, or even lead, such a force:

• Legitimacy: A force including troops or personnel from Arab nations (like Egypt and Jordan, which have peace treaties with Israel) would carry greater legitimacy in the eyes of the Gazan population and the wider Arab world than an exclusively Western or Israeli-controlled entity.

• Security Training: Arab security agencies, particularly from Egypt and Jordan, are already being proposed to train and equip a reformed Palestinian security force that would eventually assume control in Gaza, excluding armed factions like Hamas. This approach side-steps Israel's refusal to allow Hamas a role and addresses the need for a capable, non-partisan Palestinian police presence.

• Border Management: Egypt's control over the Rafah border crossing and its shared border with Gaza makes it indispensable for controlling the movement of people and goods, and for preventing the re-smuggling of weapons into the enclave.

Diplomatic Leverage over Factions

Key Arab nations have unique and differentiated lines of communication with various Palestinian groups, giving them the leverage to enforce cease-fire terms:

• Mediator Role: Qatar and Egypt have historically served as the primary mediators between Israel and Hamas, brokering past cease-fires and hostage deals. Their continued role is vital for immediate de-escalation and crisis management.

• Pressure on Hamas: Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt have, at various times, demonstrated a willingness to pressure Hamas to disarm and relinquish control in exchange for a path toward a wider political solution that includes a pathway to Palestinian statehood.

Rebuilding Gaza: Economic and Political Foundation

The destruction in Gaza is immense, with estimates for the cost of reconstruction soaring into the tens of billions of dollars. This massive undertaking requires a blend of massive funding and a new political framework.

Financial and Logistical Leadership

The scale of financial resources needed is beyond the capacity of traditional international aid alone. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are the most likely and capable primary donors for the reconstruction effort.

• Funding Pledges: These nations would provide the bulk of the required capital for a phased reconstruction plan that focuses on basic services, infrastructure, housing, and job creation.

• Logistical Hubs: Egypt's logistical capacity and its control over the entry points are crucial for the efficient and transparent delivery of construction materials and humanitarian aid. A regional framework helps coordinate the flow of aid, preventing its diversion.

A Coherent Governance Structure

A core challenge to reconstruction is the need for a legitimate, non-Hamas governance structure in Gaza. Arab states are central to this political solution:

• Reforming the PA: Arab nations are key partners in initiatives aimed at reforming and strengthening the Palestinian Authority (PA), which many proposals envision taking over transitional governance. Their political and financial support is critical to bolster the PA’s legitimacy and capacity to govern both the West Bank and Gaza as a unified political entity.

• Technocratic Administration: Proposals often suggest a transitional period led by Palestinian technocrats overseen by an international/Arab body, with a clear roadmap for eventual PA control. The regional framework provides the necessary political and supervisory structure for this arrangement to take hold.

• Preventing Displacement: A unified Arab position categorically rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is an essential security and political guarantee that anchors all regional efforts.

Challenges and Conditions for Success

While essential, the regional peace framework faces significant obstacles that must be overcome for it to succeed.

Internal Palestinian Divisions and Israeli Intransigence

• Hamas Disarmament: One of the most difficult conditions is the disarmament and demilitarization of Hamas and other armed factions. While Arab states can apply political pressure, the actual mechanism for this remains a major point of contention.

• PA's Weakness: The current weakness and lack of legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority in the eyes of many Palestinians is a substantial hurdle. A successful framework requires the PA to undergo significant, visible reform to gain popular support.

• Israel's Security Concerns: Israel's enduring demand for security means any framework must include ironclad, verifiable guarantees that Gaza will not be used to launch future attacks. The deployment of Arab-backed forces must be acceptable to Israel's security establishment.

Integrating the Gaza and West Bank Tracks

For the regional framework to offer a long-term solution, it must treat Gaza not in isolation but as an integral part of the Palestinian territory alongside the West Bank. The ultimate success of the framework is widely considered to be contingent on a credible, irreversible, and time-bound process towards a two-state solution. Arab states, through the revived spirit of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, are uniquely positioned to offer Israel full normalization and security guarantees in exchange for establishing an independent Palestinian state. This broader regional context gives the Gaza stabilization efforts a vital political horizon, making the compromises required by all parties—especially Hamas's demilitarization and Israeli withdrawal—more palatable.

Conclusion

A regional peace framework involving neighboring Arab countries is the most viable and necessary path to long-term stability and reconstruction in Gaza. It offers the legitimacy, financial muscle, security expertise, and diplomatic leverage** **that are currently missing.

By taking a leadership role in providing security guarantees, training a reformed Palestinian police force, and coordinating massive reconstruction funding, Arab states can shift the focus from perpetual conflict management to a genuine, unified effort to build a viable future for Gaza. The framework’s effectiveness, however, is directly tied to overcoming internal Palestinian divisions and securing a commitment from all parties—including Israel and the international community—to integrate these stabilization efforts within a broader, credible political process leading to a comprehensive, two-state solution.