Meeting between top diplomats of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia held on sidelines of UN conference in New York, official statement says
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia held talks on Tuesday to discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and steps to implement an Arab-Islamic plan for rebuilding the war-torn enclave.
An official readout said Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty exchanged views with Qatar’s Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Jordan’s Ayman Safadi, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan of Saudi Arabia on joining efforts to resume a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the urgent and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid into the territory.
The talks were held on the sidelines of a UN conference in New York on a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
The top diplomats also explored steps to implement an Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and the reconstruction of Gaza, including preparations for holding a donor conference in Egypt to rebuild the enclave.
Egypt seeks to activate a plan adopted by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation last March to rebuild Gaza without displacing its population. The plan is expected to span five years and cost approximately $53 billion.
According to the statement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry, the ministers agreed to “continue consultation and coordination in a manner that serves shared interests and supports regional security and stability.”
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and, since March 2, has shut down all crossings, worsening humanitarian conditions for the territory’s 2.4 million population.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people have died of starvation since October 2023, including 88 children.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to a severe hunger crisis.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of the territory’s healthcare system.
