Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Hussein Haridy says Trump’s plan to “take over” the Gaza Strip would have dire repercussions for the Palestinian national struggle for self-determination.

“This is a very crucial moment,” Haridy told Al Jazeera from the Egyptian capital, Cairo. If the Arab counterproposal for Gaza is not well received by the Trump administration, it could “be a game-changer” for the region, he said.

Haridy said the Egyptian government has been working on the counterproposal, the first stage of which involves the reconstruction of Gaza. “I believe that the plan will be well received by the Arab countries,” he said.