At Arab summit, Spain advocates for exerting pressure on Israel to halt the Gaza "atrocity"
In a fresh development, the UN chief, Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at a Baghdad summit, echoing the plea of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for full efforts to end the bloodshed in the region.
Following a whirlwind Gulf tour, US President Donald Trump was at the heart of the discussion, having stirred controversy earlier this year with his proposals to take over Gaza and transform it into a Mediterranean paradise. Arab leaders countered with plans to rebuild the territory at a summit in Cairo.
Guterres was unequivocal about the repeated displacement of Palestinians being unacceptable and voiced concern over Israel's plans to expand ground operations further. The Israeli military had launched extensive strikes, the initial phases of a fresh offensive, marking more than 19 months of unrelenting conflict sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack.
Criticizing the Israeli offensive, Spanish politician Pedro Sánchez urged world leaders to intensify pressure on Israel to halt the devastation in Gaza, potentially proposing a UN resolution seeking an International Court of Justice ruling on Israel's war tactics.
The death toll in Gaza, he argued, violates the basic principles of humanity. Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani pledged $20 million each for Gaza's reconstruction and Lebanon's recovery, and announced his country's support for an Arab fund aimed at supporting regional reconstruction efforts.
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that the Baghdad meeting would endorse past Arab League decisions concerning Gaza's reconstruction, thereby rebuffing Trump's controversial proposal to 'take' Gaza and convert it into a 'freedom zone'.
On the sidelines, Iran's ongoing nuclear talks with the United States were still on the table, with Trump expressing optimism while simultaneously warning of looming dangers if Iran failed to cooperate swiftly.
The Baghdad summit marked Iraq's renewed efforts to project regional stability, following decades of conflict and turmoil. The last Arab League summit in Iraq was held in 2012, amid Syria's spiraling civil war, which has since entered a new phase with the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. During his Riyadh visit, Trump met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, but his attendance in Baghdad was met with strong opposition by several Iraqi politicians. Syria's foreign minister represented Damascus instead.
- The UN Chief, Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at the Baghdad summit, joining Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in calling for full efforts to end the bloodshed.
- The Israeli military's extensive strikes in Gaza, a fresh offensive marking more than 19 months of unrelenting conflict, have sparked criticism from world leaders, such as Spanish politician Pedro Sánchez who has urged for increased pressure on Israel to halt the devastation.
- Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, addressing regional conflicts, pledged $20 million each for Gaza's reconstruction and Lebanon's recovery, and announced his country's support for an Arab fund aimed at supporting regional reconstruction efforts.
- Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that the Baghdad meeting would endorse past Arab League decisions concerning Gaza's reconstruction, thereby rebuffing Donald Trump's controversial proposal to 'take' Gaza and convert it into a 'freedom zone'.
- As the Baghdad summit urged diplomacy and justice in Gaza, ongoing political discussions centered on Iran's nuclear program with the United States continued on the sidelines, with Trump expressing optimism while simultaneously warning of looming dangers if Iran failed to cooperate swiftly.
