In Gaza, Egypt relies on reconstruction to assert its influence

Egyptian President Sisi is everywhere in Gaza. It can be found on a giant poster on the border with Israel or on photos that adorn construction machinery renovating the coastal road. “THE’EEgypt is in charge of the reconstruction of Gaza, it is normal to see the Egyptian engineers, workers and equipment“, explains Zohair Al Saqqa, the owner of Bianco, a beautiful beach hotel which opened in July.

Egyptian workers, housed in a high school not far from here, are renovating the waterfront. “We are happy to see anyone helping the Palestinians rebuild what the Israelis destroyed in the last war. We say welcome to them“, rejoices Zohair. This Sunday, October 10, the Egyptian authorities also eased the trade blockade on the border with Gaza to stimulate the Gazan economy, which is in dire straits.

However, these projects do not resolve the issue of mass unemployment in Gaza. In this territory, there are 50% unemployed, and the population is still waiting for reconstruction. “Maybe it’s good for the government but not for us “, admits Sami Al Sakani. During the conflict last May, her house, that of her father and that of her uncle were destroyed, and since then 33 of them have lived in one rental.

“The Egyptians are our brothers, our blood brothers, but in Gaza a lot of people have no job, if I were the government I would make ours work first!”

Sami Al Sakani, fish seller in Gaza

to franceinfo

Faced with Qatar, which has built splendid mosques and opened an embassy in Gaza, Egypt wishes to pose as an influential power. “Politics is interests, explains Mustafa Husseini Sawaf, specialist in geopolitics, Hamas is being asked to keep calm and prevent anyone from infiltrating Egypt. There is also an economic relationship, in Gaza there are consumers and Egypt needs markets. But above all Egypt wants to become the big regional player again, she thinks that the Palestinian question will allow it, in particular after the exchanges between Biden and Sissi.“.

Hamas remains in power in Gaza, but it is the Egyptian flag flying in the air. Meanwhile, Gazans are jostling in droves to go to work in Israel.