An emergency meeting of the Arab League in Cairo on Wednesday evening called on the United States to exert pressure on Israel to halt its violations of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The resolution, issued at the end of the gathering of permanent delegates, came in response to Israel’s resumption of airstrikes in Gaza, which began on Tuesday, violating the ceasefire that had been in place since January.
The Arab League’s final statement urged the US, as a guarantor of the ceasefire, to compel Israel to stop its breaches and fully implement the various phases of the truce, which had been mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
The resolution also called for Israel’s withdrawal from all Gaza Strip areas, the lifting of the siege, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid across the region. It further demanded the facilitation of residents’ return to their homes.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed the lives of nearly 50,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children, with over 112,000 others injured. The recent violation of the ceasefire has resulted in at least 436 deaths and over 670 injuries, escalating tensions in the already dire situation.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.
