Name: U.S. backs Palestinian civil engineer to administer Gaza
Uploaded: 2026-01-15T17:19:20.903Z
Duration: 2 min 28 s
Description: Ali Shaath, the Palestinian former government official chosen to administer Gaza under a U.S.-backed deal, has an ambitious plan that includes pushing war debris into the Mediterranean Sea and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure within three years.

Ali Shaath, the Palestinian former government official chosen to administer Gaza under a U.S.-backed deal, has an ambitious plan that includes pushing war debris into the Mediterranean Sea and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure within three years.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

The United States has endorsed Ali Shath, a civil engineer from Khan Younis and former Palestinian Authority official, to chair a committee of 15 Palestinian technocrats responsible for administering Gaza's reconstruction. This initiative comes after years of Hamas rule and amid continued conflict between Israel and Hamas, with over 2 million people in Gaza displaced and extensive destruction reported.

Shath's committee is tasked with providing humanitarian aid and clearing massive amounts of rubble, though the process faces obstacles due to ongoing violence and restrictions on importing heavy equipment. While Shath is optimistic about the reconstruction timeline, a 2024 UN report estimates that rebuilding Gaza's homes could take until at least 2040. The plan has received support from Hamas, but many Gazans remain skeptical about the prospects for real change.

U.S. backs Palestinian civil engineer to administer Gaza

An ambitious U.S.-backed plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip will be administered by a civil engineer and former official in the Palestinian Authority named Ali Shath. Shath, who is from Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, will chair a group of 15 Palestinian technocrats tasked with governing Gaza after years of rule by the Hamas Islamist group. And he will face the monumental task of providing humanitarian needs to more than 2 million people, most of them displaced by two years of war, and clearing an estimated 75 million U.S. tons of rubble and unexploded ordnance, even as Israel and Hamas continue to trade fire. But Shath is optimistic. In a radio interview this week, he suggested that if given enough bulldozers, he could push the rubble into the sea, winning new land for Gaza. He estimated it wouldn't take more than three years to remove and recycle the rubble and reuse it for new construction. According to a 2024 UN report, rebuilding Gaza's shattered homes will take over a decade, until at least 2040, but could drag on far beyond that. Shath's appointment marks the beginning of what the U.S. envisions as the second phase of a truce between Israel and Hamas. Phase one, which began in October, saw the release of all living hostages seized by Hamas fighters in a 2023 surprise attack. As part of the deal, Israeli forces ceased offensive operations and pulled back to the so-called yellow line. But Israel still holds large parts of Gaza, and Israeli airstrikes have continued, killing hundreds since the ceasefire went into effect. Many Gazans say the first phase never delivered the peace they hoped for. Fayeq Al-Halou is a displaced Palestinian who spoke to Reuters in Gaza City. What second phase or first phase? They haven't even started the first phase yet. How can they start with the second? They've been bombing since this morning. They targeted Tufa and Zeitoun. Houses are coming down. Which second phase? We don't want ink or paper. We want real action on the ground. We don't want it to be like every other time, just words on paper, and then things stay the same or even get worse. It was unclear how Shath's committee would proceed with rebuilding and gaining permissions for the import and use of heavy machinery and equipment generally banned by Israel. Israel did not respond to requests for comment on Shath's appointment and plans. The formation of Shath's committee has won support from Hamas, which is holding talks on Gaza's future with other Palestinian factions in Cairo.

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