Egypt Daily News – The foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), during their meeting in Jeddah, expressed their support for Egypt’s plan to rebuild Gaza. The plan also received backing from Rome, Paris, Berlin, and London.
The OIC foreign ministers convened in Jeddah on Saturday to discuss Egypt’s proposal regarding the future of Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas spoke of “positive signs” in its talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo regarding the second phase of ceasefire negotiations. The Islamic foreign ministers rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to depopulate Gaza of its Palestinian residents and endorsed the formation of a Palestinian administrative committee to govern the Strip as part of efforts to enable reconstruction.
Islamic countries support Egypt’s plan
The meeting endorsed Egypt’s $53 billion Gaza reconstruction plan, which has also been backed by Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as a countermeasure to Trump’s proposal.
Without mentioning Trump by name, the final statement rejected “any plans for the individual or collective displacement of the Palestinian people, considering it ethnic cleansing, a flagrant violation of international law, and a crime against humanity.”
The ministers also condemned “starvation policies” aimed at forcing Palestinians out, referring to Israel’s blockade of all supplies to Gaza over the past week in an attempt to pressure Hamas into extending the first phase of the ceasefire.
Syria has regained its membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which includes 57 Muslim-majority countries, after being suspended in 2012 due to then-President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on opposition protests.
After 14 years of civil war, Assad’s regime was overthrown in December by Islamist-led rebel groups, who subsequently formed a transitional government.
European Countries Support Egypt’s Gaza Plan
In a joint statement issued by the Italian Foreign Ministry, ministers from Italy, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom welcomed Egypt’s Arab initiative for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction plan.
The statement read: “The plan outlines a realistic path for Gaza’s reconstruction and, if implemented, promises a swift and sustainable improvement in the dire living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza. Recovery and reconstruction efforts must be based on a sound political and security framework that is acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians, ensuring long-term peace and security.” The statement also reaffirmed that “Hamas should no longer govern Gaza or pose a threat to Israel.”
The European ministers expressed their “clear support for the central role of the Palestinian Authority and the implementation of its reform program.” They also praised the extensive efforts made by all parties and highlighted the significant message sent by Arab nations collectively through the development of this reconstruction plan.
The ministers then pledged to support the Arab, Palestinian, and Israeli initiatives to address these issues jointly, including security and governance, calling on “all parties to work on the core aspects of the plan as a starting point.”
