Good afternoon all of you wonderful people, and happy end of the workweek. We have a brisk issue for you today, so without further ado, let’s jump into it.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

Gov’t mandates developers on Egypt’s northwest coast build hotels, coordinate with the government on development: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly has said that the government will be designating a consultant to to come up with a comprehensive plan for developing a 10 km-wide area of the northwest coast between Ras El Hekma and Marsa Matrouh, and that developers will now be required to construct a now-required hotel component of their property before constructing other portions, according to a cabinet statement.

The details: The PM stressed that future real estate projects must prioritize the construction of hotels, with new residential areas only able to be built after the hotel portion of the area’s development has been completed. This decision will assure that coastal areas have available rooms and sufficient infrastructure to turn the northwest coast into a year-round international tourism destination. Madbouly also stressed the importance of close coordination between developers and the government on the development of the area’s commercial spaces, and tasked Housing Minister Sherif El Sherbiny with appointing a consultant to draw up a plan for developing a 10-km wide area of the northwest coast.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

Trump’s Gaza plan sees administration officials backtrack, Israeli leaders begin planning for Palestinian displacement: Strong international condemnation of US president Donald Trump’s proposal to have the US take over control of the Gaza Strip, forcibly displace Palestinians from the enclave, and redevelop the area into the “Riviera of the Middle East” sent top US officials into damage-control mode Wednesday and Thursday, even as Israeli officials ordered occupation forces to prepare to facilitate what they described as Palestinians’ “voluntary departure” ahead of the expected implementation of Trump’s plan.

Key officials backtracked on Trump’s call for permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza: US secretary of state Marco Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt both clarified that the displacement of Palestinians from the strip was intended to be temporary, but fell short of denying a potential deployment of US troops in the enclave. Israeli defense minister Israel Katz, for his part, lauded the plan, and noted that the Israeli military was working on its own plan to facilitate the exit of Palestinians from the enclave via land, sea, and air.

Trump’s statements drew some pushback from a Republican party that has thus far been in lock-step with Trump’s early policy moves. “I thought we voted for America First,” Kentucky senator Rand Paul said in a post on X. “We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood.” Fellow Republican senator Jerry Moran noted to Reuters that Trump was not entitled to completely abandon the US’ longtime commitment to a two-state solution, noting that “It’s not something that can be unilaterally decided.”

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☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The chilly temperatures are continuing tomorrow in the capital as the mercury rises to a maximum of 17°C in the morning before dropping to 11°C in the evening.

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