Cairo supports EU aid plan, rejects Hamas role in Gaza

Egypt has thrown its full diplomatic weight behind the European Commission’s newly announced €1.6 billion multi-year support program for the Palestinian Authority (PA), calling it a clear affirmation of Europe’s commitment to Palestinian statehood and institutional resilience — explicitly excluding any role for Hamas in Gaza’s future.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the EU initiative, which aims to reinforce the PA’s ability to govern and deliver services in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 

Cairo emphasized that the support package directly targets the PA and not Hamas, whose future involvement in the governance of Gaza is categorically rejected by both Egypt and much of the international community.

“This program is not only a financial commitment but also a political message,” the statement read, adding that it “reaffirms the EU’s recognition of the Palestinian Authority as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”

Announced during the inaugural High-Level Political Dialogue between the EU and the PA, the €1.6 billion initiative spans 2025 to 2027. 

It includes €620 million in direct budget support for the PA, €576 million for development projects across Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and €82 million annually for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

While Cairo welcomed support for Palestinian refugees, it remains cautious alongside Israel and the United States about the role of UNRWA. 

Both Washington and Jerusalem have raised serious concerns about UNRWA personnel’s alleged ties to terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Despite this controversy, the European Commission reaffirmed its intention to continue funding the agency, calling it “a vital humanitarian and developmental actor.”

A further €400 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) is slated to bolster the Palestinian private sector — a key step in building long-term economic resilience.

Cairo underscored that the financial package must go hand-in-hand with renewed political efforts. “Support to the Palestinian people is vital at this critical juncture, but it must also lead toward a just and lasting peace,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated, reiterating Egypt’s unwavering position in favor of a two-state solution.

As Gaza reels from months of devastating conflict, Egypt is preparing to host an international conference for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction, in cooperation with the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority. Notably absent from these discussions: Hamas.

In aligning itself with the EU and other international actors, Egypt is clearly signaling its intent to marginalize Hamas from any post-war settlement and reaffirm the centrality of the PA in Palestinian governance. 

For Cairo, stability in Gaza is inseparable from regional security — and that requires empowered, legitimate leadership untainted by militancy.