Arab leaders promise to work on reconstruction of Gaza and press for a ceasefire
BAGHDAD — Arab leaders at an annual summit in Baghdad called Saturday for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and to allow aid into the Palestinian territories without conditions. They promised to contribute to the reconstruction of the territory once the war stops.
In March, an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo endorsed a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction without displacing its roughly 2 million residents.
Saturday’s summit was attended by Arab leaders including Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Egyptian leader said that even if Israel succeeds in normalizing relations with all Arab states, “a lasting, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain elusive unless a Palestinian state is established.” Egypt was the first Arab country to normalize ties with Israel.
Among the guests were Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and the flow of aid into the territory. He said that the U.N. rejects any “forced displacement” of Palestinians.
Saturday’s summit comes two months after Israel ended a ceasefire reached with the Hamas terrorist group in January. In recent days, Israel has launched widespread attacks in Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed a further escalation to pursue his aim of destroying Hamas.
El-Sissi said that Egypt, in coordination with Qatar and the U.S., is “exerting intense efforts to reach a ceasefire” in Gaza, adding that the efforts led to the release of Israel-American hostage Edan Alexander. He said that Egypt plans to hold an international conference for the reconstruction of Gaza.
