An Arab ministerial meeting began in Cairo on Tuesday to address Israel’s ongoing military actions against the Gaza Strip. The meeting, led by the Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, is calling for an immediate halt to the Israeli offensive.
Aboul Gheit criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to agree to a ceasefire, emphasising the need to end the conflict. The meeting, chaired by Yemen, includes key international figures such as Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, EU Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, and UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag.
Fidan highlighted the importance of preserving the Islamic identity of Haram Al-Sharif and warned that supporters of Netanyahu would also be held accountable for the ongoing violence in Gaza.
The agenda of the meeting includes discussing strategies to end the Israeli attacks in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as exploring diplomatic and legal measures to counter Israeli policies that aim to displace Palestinians. The meeting will also address issues in Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and the security of navigation and energy supplies in the Gulf region.
Since the Hamas attack on 7 October, Israel’s military offensive has resulted in over 41,000 deaths, mostly among women and children, and nearly 95,000 injuries. The blockade of Gaza has exacerbated shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region devastated. Israel faces allegations of genocide before the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.