Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on the international community to increase pressure on Israel to halt what he described as a “massacre” in Gaza, as leaders gathered for the Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday. His remarks came just hours after Israel announced the launch of intensified military operations in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the urgent plea, telling the summit, “we need a permanent ceasefire, now.” Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged US President Donald Trump to “apply all necessary efforts” to secure a ceasefire.
The summit followed President Trump’s controversial Gulf tour, during which he repeated proposals for the United States to take control of Gaza and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan, widely condemned across the Arab world for its suggestion of displacing Palestinians, prompted a counter-initiative from Arab leaders in March aimed at rebuilding Gaza without foreign occupation.
Guterres firmly rejected any notion of forced displacement, warning against Israeli plans to expand ground operations. “We reject the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza,” he stated, expressing deep concern over Israel’s latest attacks.
According to the Israeli military, “extensive strikes” began on Saturday, marking the “initial stages” of a renewed assault in Gaza, now in its nineteenth month following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.
Sanchez, a vocal critic of Israel’s military tactics, said world leaders must act through international legal mechanisms to stop the violence. He revealed plans for Spain to back a UN resolution calling for the International Court of Justice to examine Israel’s conduct in the conflict. “The unacceptable number of war victims in Gaza violates the principle of humanity,” he said.
The summit also saw Iraq pledge $20 million each to support reconstruction efforts in Gaza and Lebanon. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed support for an Arab reconstruction fund, a move aligned with broader regional opposition to Trump’s proposal for Gaza.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that the summit would formally endorse previous Arab League decisions focused on rebuilding Gaza and safeguarding Palestinian sovereignty.
The summit occurred against a backdrop of shifting regional dynamics. Iraq, emerging from decades of conflict, used the event to showcase its relative stability. It was Baghdad’s first Arab League summit since 2012, when Syria’s civil war was in its early stages.
Notably absent was Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was barred from attending due to political opposition in Iraq. He was replaced by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
The summit also coincided with sensitive nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US. Trump claimed on Thursday that a deal was nearing completion, but by Friday, he issued a stark warning that “something bad is going to happen” if Iran did not act quickly. His comments reflect growing fears of escalation with Israel, a concern shared by leaders at the summit who favour a diplomatic resolution.
