Arab-Islamic ministerial committee calls for full implementation of Gaza ceasefire agreement, end to Gaza blockade

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday participated in a meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas.

Hosted by Egypt, the meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, the UAE, and Indonesia, along with the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The participants discussed the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, voicing deep concern over the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire and the resulting civilian casualties from renewed airstrikes, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

The officials called for the immediate reinstatement of the ceasefire and the release of all hostages and detainees. They also stressed the need for its full implementation, including moving to its second phase, which entails the release of all hostages, a permanent end to hostilities, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2735.

The participants also urged full adherence to international humanitarian law and demanded the immediate removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza. They also emphasised the urgent need to restore essential services, including electricity and water desalination.

The officials also endorsed the Arab Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented at the Cairo Summit on March 4, later endorsed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and welcomed by the European Council, stressing its role in ensuring Palestinians remain on their land. 

They also firmly rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, warning of the grave consequences of such actions.

The ministers also underscored the importance of the early recovery and reconstruction conference for Gaza, set to be held in Cairo, and called for unifying Gaza with the West Bank under the Palestinian National Authority. 

They stressed the necessity of preserving the unity and territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territories as a step toward establishing a Palestinian state along the pre-1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with UN resolutions and the two-state solution framework. They also reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and must remain part of a future Palestinian state.

Expressing deep concern over Israeli military incursions into the West Bank, the ministers condemned settlement expansion, home demolitions, and settler violence, warning that these actions undermine Palestinian rights, escalate the conflict, and jeopardise prospects for a just and lasting peace. They stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law and protect civilians.