Gaza's Hamas-run municipal governments have published their first official reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, in the latest sign that the group intends to be a leading actor in the rebuilding of the territory. In recent days, Hamas has re-emerged as the area's main governing authority, deploying security forces across the Gaza Strip, despite suffering severe military losses during its 15-month war with Israel.
The 200-page document, titled "Gaza Phoenix" and shared with Sky News by an official in Gaza City's Hamas-led local government, is the first comprehensive reconstruction plan to be published since the war began. Gaza Phoenix sets out short, medium and long-term priorities for reconstruction and development in the territory, starting almost from scratch.
The immediate priorities include formalising displacement camps, repairing hospitals, clearing rubble and restoring law and order. There are also much more ambitious long-term proposals, including a tourism-focused economy, a green belt and even Dubai-style artificial islands.
One section, on "wartime resilience", suggests constructing "an underground connecter" between all Gaza cities - a proposal likely to anger Israel, which has sought to destroy Hamas's underground tunnel network. International donors would be very unlikely to directly fund the activities of Gaza's Hamas-led municipal governments, a person familiar with reconstruction efforts told Sky News.
