WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is set to convene leaders and officials from several Muslim-majority nations on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza. This comes as Israel initiates a renewed military campaign against Hamas, approaching the two-year anniversary of intense conflict in the region.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed the media on Monday that the multifaceted meeting will include representatives from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan. The agenda is expected to prominently feature discussions about Gaza.
During the meeting, President Trump and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are anticipated to reveal a U.S.-sponsored plan addressing post-war management of Gaza, which has been developed in recent months by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. This plan was disclosed last week in The Times of Israel.
Key focal points will include strategies for securing the release of hostages, concluding the war, and facilitating an Israeli withdrawal, while ensuring that Hamas does not play a role in Gaza’s future governance.
The United States seeks the agreement of Arab and Muslim nations to contribute military support in Gaza to facilitate Israel’s departure and to secure funding for transitional and reconstruction initiatives.
A U.S. official, who chose to remain anonymous, emphasized the importance of the upcoming meeting, stating, “Tomorrow’s meeting could be fairly significant. We have a pretty good idea of the contours for ending the war. We want to present what we think is the only viable path forward and we want regional buy-in and support to make it successful.”
An Arab source corroborated this, indicating that President Trump is eager to obtain feedback and backing from regional leaders for the U.S. proposal to conclude the hostilities.
Israeli officials cited by Channel 12 news reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aware of certain aspects of the U.S. plan; however, they noted that it does not align with what is referred to as “the Netanyahu plan.” There are concerns that Israel may find it challenging to accept elements of the plan, particularly regarding the Palestinian Authority’s potential role in governance.
In addition to the multilateral meeting, President Trump is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on the same day. This follows a recent gathering of numerous world leaders at the United Nations who advocated for the recognition of a Palestinian state, reflecting a significant diplomatic shift in the context of the escalating Gaza conflict, which faces strong opposition from Israel and the United States.
These nations have declared that a two-state solution is the sole pathway to achieving peace; however, Israeli leaders contend that acknowledging a Palestinian state equates to rewarding terrorism in light of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Despite President Trump’s pledges for a swift resolution to the conflict in Gaza, a definitive resolution remains elusive more than eight months into his presidency.
His administration’s term began with a brief two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which concluded in March following Israel’s refusal to pursue a permanent cessation of hostilities and Hamas’s subsequent demand for more hostages to be released. Israel has consistently maintained its commitment to continue its military operations until Hamas is thoroughly defeated and all hostages are freed.
Recent imagery depicting severely malnourished Palestinians, including children, alongside claims of starvation, has incited significant global outrage towards Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Earlier this year, President Trump proposed a controversial plan involving a U.S. takeover of Gaza and the permanent displacement of Palestinians, which was characterized by human rights experts and the United Nations as an instance of “ethnic cleansing.” While this proposal received a favorable response from the Israeli right, Trump appears to have since retracted his enthusiasm for the initiative, making little progress in its implementation.
Meanwhile, Hamas has sent a letter to President Trump requesting assurances for a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of half of the remaining 48 hostages. This information was reported by Fox News and confirmed by sources involved in the negotiation process, although it remains unclear whether the letter addresses Hamas’s disarmament, which is a demand from Israel that the militant group has dismissed.
The letter occurs as Hamas released a video featuring hostage Alon Ohel, and families of the captives have demonstrated outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, calling for a ceasefire-hostage agreement. These family members additionally met with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, who purportedly assured them he was advocating for a ceasefire-hostage arrangement.
Officials are hopeful that the letter may reinvigorate discussions regarding a ceasefire and the return of hostages, which have stalled since Israel’s assassination attempt on Hamas leadership took place in Qatar earlier this month.
In May, Witkoff had previously suggested a plan quite similar to the provisions laid out in the recent Hamas letter, advocating for a 60-day ceasefire, a guarantee from Trump that hostilities would not resume, and the release of approximately half of the hostages who were then reported to number 58.
At that time, Netanyahu reportedly expressed support for this deal, but subsequent demands from Hamas led to a deadlock. Netanyahu has since stated his desire for a comprehensive ceasefire-hostage agreement that would require the release of all hostages while also disarming Hamas. Witkoff has stated that the current U.S. objective is focused solely on achieving a comprehensive resolution.
President Trump is scheduled to further discuss this plan during his meeting with Netanyahu on the following Monday. Netanyahu is set to travel to the U.S. for the General Assembly immediately after the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which commenced Monday night.
It remains uncertain whether President Trump will touch upon this strategy during his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, prior to meeting with leaders from Arab and Muslim nations.
In his speech, Trump is expected to focus on the “renewal of American strength around the world,” while criticizing “globalist institutions that have significantly decayed the world order” and providing his vision for a constructive approach to global issues, as stated by Leavitt.
Later in the evening, President Trump will host a reception for over 100 world leaders before returning to Washington, where he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Currently, terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 48 hostages, which include 47 individuals taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault.
Among these hostages, at least 26 are confirmed deceased according to the Israel Defense Forces. While 20 hostages are believed to be alive, there are significant concerns for the wellbeing of the remaining two.
The Hamas-operated Gaza health ministry claims that over 65,000 individuals have died or are presumed dead due to the ongoing conflict, although these numbers remain unverified and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Israeli government maintains that it has killed over 22,000 combatants throughout the conflict and has suffered at least 1,600 losses during the Hamas-led assault on October 7. Officials assert that they are striving to minimize civilian casualties while arguing that Hamas employs Gaza’s civilians as human shields, engaging in combat from residential areas, hospitals, schools, and places of worship.
image source from：timesofisrael
