Foreign ministers from Muslim countries on Saturday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to remove Gaza’s Palestinian population and supported a plan to establish an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the region, enabling reconstruction efforts to proceed.
The ministers convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss the Gaza situation, at a time when the seven-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seemed uncertain, reports AP.
Arab leaders gather to endorse counterproposal to Trump's Gaza plan
In a statement, the ministers endorsed a Gaza rebuilding plan proposed by Egypt and supported by Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, in opposition to Trump’s proposal. The OIC represents 57 nations with predominantly Muslim populations.
While not directly mentioning Trump, the ministers condemned any attempts to displace Palestinians as “ethnic cleansing,” a severe violation of international law and a crime against humanity. They also criticized “policies of starvation” intended to force Palestinians to leave.
The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member after its suspension in 2012 due to President Bashar Assad’s violent crackdown on opposition protests. After years of civil war, Assad was ousted in December by Islamist insurgents, leading to the formation of a transitional government.
The ceasefire, which began in mid-January, paused Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives aimed at dismantling Hamas after its October 7, 2023 attack. The first phase of the ceasefire resulted in the release of 25 Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. However, the second phase, which was meant to release the remaining hostages and negotiate a permanent truce, has faced setbacks. Israel has refused to engage in talks for the second phase, instead demanding that Hamas free half of the remaining hostages for an extended ceasefire and negotiations for a lasting peace agreement. Additionally, Israel has restricted all aid from entering Gaza, affecting nearly 2 million people, unless Hamas agrees to the revised deal.
Meanwhile, Trump has proposed permanently resettling Gaza’s population elsewhere so the U.S. could take control of the region and develop it for others, a suggestion rejected by Palestinians.
The OIC ministers supported an Egyptian-backed initiative to replace Hamas with an administrative committee to govern Gaza, functioning under the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank. Although Israel has opposed any PA involvement in Gaza, it has not suggested an alternative governing solution.
Israel pushes alternative ceasefire plan as Gaza deal falters
Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have withdrawn to the outskirts of Gaza, but an Israeli airstrike early Saturday killed two Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city. The Israeli military claimed it targeted men who appeared to be operating a drone that entered Israel from Gaza.
The Israeli military offensive has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, primarily women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has not clarified how many were militants. This campaign was triggered by Hamas' October 2023 assault, which killed around 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Many hostages have been released under ceasefire agreements, but Hamas is believed to still hold 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.