Arab and Islamic leaders emphasize the return of Palestinian refugees to Gaza.
According to Arab media, in a joint statement issued by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the leaders of several Arab and Islamic countries at the meeting also stressed the need to end the war in the Gaza Strip and achieve an immediate ceasefire, release the Zionist prisoners in Gaza, and send sufficient humanitarian aid, as “the first step towards a just and lasting peace.”
The statement, issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, referred to the tragic and intolerable situation in the Gaza Strip, including the humanitarian catastrophe and massive human losses, as well as its dire consequences for the region and its impact on the entire Islamic world.
According to the statement, the leaders of these countries expressed their willingness to work with Trump to end the war in Gaza and pave the way for lasting peace, while developing a clear plan to achieve stability in the West Bank and protect the holy sites in Jerusalem, along with supporting the reform of the institutions of the Palestinian Authority.
The statement added: The participants in this meeting also noted the need to develop a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Gaza based on the plan of the Arab countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as security arrangements with international assistance to support the Palestinian leadership, and declared their commitment to cooperate to ensure the success of the plans and the reconstruction of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza.
The joint statement noted that the meeting was held on the initiative of Trump and with the participation of eight Arab countries and the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to Arab media, the meeting was attended by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indonesian President Praboodo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, and Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
After the meeting, Trump told reporters: “I had a very successful meeting on Gaza… a very good meeting with great leaders.”
He described the meeting as “with great leaders from a very important region of the world, the Middle East,” adding: “We want to end the war in Gaza and we will end it and maybe we will end it now.”