Arab Leaders Hold Urgent Summit to Tackle Gaza Crisis Plan

As violence escalates, regional powers grapple with diplomacy, aid, and the quest for lasting stability.

Cairo, Egypt | Against a backdrop of crumbling infrastructure and horrifying civilian casualties, Arab leaders gathered in Cairo this week for an emergency summit to handle the worsening situation in Gaza. The gathering, spearheaded by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, included high-level delegations from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Palestine, alongside observers from the United Nations and the European Union. With over 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza facing what the UN calls “apocalyptic” conditions—deprived of food, water, electricity, and medical care—the summit’s urgency was underscored by live footage of neighborhoods reduced to rubble and hospitals overwhelmed by trauma patients.

The meeting’s agenda centered on three pillars: negotiating an immediate ceasefire, establishing a humanitarian corridor for aid, and addressing the long-standing political grievances fueling the conflict. Yet the talks unfolded against a labyrinth of regional rivalries, shifting alliances, and global pressures, revealing both unity and discord among participants.

The Fractured Front: Divisions Threaten Consensus

While the Arab League’s final communiqué condemned Israeli military actions as “disproportionate” and called for an “urgent ceasefire,” the summit laid bare ideological rifts. Saudi Arabia, which has paused U.S.-brokered normalization talks with Israel, emerged as a vocal advocate for Palestinian statehood. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a rare public address, warned that “ignoring Palestinian rights risks destabilizing the entire region,” a stance echoed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who criticized “selective outrage” from the international community.

In contrast, UAE officials, who normalized ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, struck a more pragmatic tone. According to The National, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized “dialogue over escalation,” urging Arab states to leverage their relationships with Israel to curb violence. This approach drew sharp rebukes from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who accused normalization advocates of “betraying the cause” during a closed-door session reported by Middle East Eye.

Egypt, meantime, negotiated two roles: guardian of its own interests and mediator. < Cairo has sent extra troops to its border and repeatedly cautioned against the forced relocation of Palestinians into Sinai—a scenario Israeli authorities have hinted at. Al-Monitor acquired a leaked report from Egypt’s intelligence service that expressed worries about how protracted fighting may empower extremist groups on the Sinai Peninsula, therefore aggravating Egypt’s ten-year struggle against ISIS affiliates.

The Human Toll: “We Are Dying Slowly”

Behind the diplomatic wrangling lies a humanitarian catastrophe. In Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, Dr. Faten Khodary described surgeons operating by flashlight as fuel reserves dwindled. “We’re amputating limbs without anesthesia. Children are brought in with burns, shrapnel wounds… and we can’t save them all,” she told CNN. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 35 hospitals have shut down due to bomb damage or lack of supplies, leaving 9,000 patients at risk.

For families like that of 45-year-old Ahmed Barakat, survival hinges on scarce aid. After fleeing northern Gaza, Barakat and his six children now sleep in a UN-run school-turned-shelter in Khan Younis. “We queue for hours for a loaf of bread. My youngest daughter drinks salty seawater because there’s nothing else,” he said in a voice note shared with Reuters. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimates that 1.4 million Gazans are internally displaced, with many sheltering in overcrowded schools or tents.

The psychological toll is equally devastating. Psychologist Samira Haddad, working with the nonprofit Gaza Mental Health Foundation, described a surge in panic attacks among children. “They wake up screaming, thinking the bombs are falling again. This trauma will outlive the war,” she said.

International Pressures: Global Powers in the Balance

The summit unfolded as global powers jockeyed for influence. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, fresh from a visit to Tel Aviv, reiterated Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel’s security but pressed for “pauses” to allow aid deliveries. However, a U.S. veto of a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire drew condemnation from Arab diplomats. “America cannot preach human rights while arming a massacre,” argued Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in an interview with France 24.

Meanwhile, Iran and its proxy groups, including Hezbollah, have escalated rhetoric, with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowing in a televised speech to turn Gaza into “Israel’s graveyard.” *Analysts from The Washington Institute warn that while Iran seeks to position itself as the region’s resistance leader, it remains cautious of direct conflict with Israel.

European nations, meanwhile, are divided. France and Spain have pushed for EU-wide sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, while Germany and Austria reaffirmed their “historic responsibility” to support Israel. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, acknowledged the bloc’s fractured stance, telling Politico, “We risk irrelevance if we cannot speak with one voice.”

The Road Ahead: Ceasefire Hopes and Obstacles

Egyptian and Qatari mediators are reportedly drafting a three-stage proposal: a 72-hour humanitarian pause, followed by a prisoner-hostage exchange, and finally, talks on a lasting truce. However, sticking points remain. Hamas insists on a complete lifting of Israel’s 16-year blockade, while Israel demands the demilitarization of Gaza and the return of all hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack.

Regional analysts caution that even if a ceasefire holds, political stagnation looms. “Without a credible path to Palestinian statehood, violence will recur,” said Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian foreign minister and scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Others, like Israeli political scientist Dahlia Scheindlin, argue that Israel’s goal of “eradicating Hamas” is unrealistic. “You can’t bomb an ideology into submission,” she told Haaretz.

Aid Efforts: Too Little, Too Late?

Humanitarian agencies warn that current aid levels are a “drop in the ocean.” Though Egypt has allowed limited shipments through Rafah, only 100 trucks per day enter Gaza—down from 500 before the war. The WHO reports that 70% of Gaza’s population relies on unsafe water sources, triggering outbreaks of diarrhea and respiratory infections.

Saudi Arabia’s $50 million pledge and Jordan’s airdrops of medical kits offer scant relief. “Aid trucks need fuel to operate, and fuel is banned as a ‘dual-use’ item by Israel,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in a press conference. “This isn’t bureaucracy—it’s a death sentence.”

Voices from the Rubble: “Will Anyone Listen?”

For Gazans like 28-year-old teacher Layla Al-Masri, the summit’s promises ring hollow. After losing her home and her sister in an airstrike, she now volunteers at a makeshift clinic. “Arab leaders have meetings in five-star hotels while we dig children out of concrete with our hands,” she told The New York Times. “History will judge them for abandoning us.”

As night fell on Cairo, leaders departed with pledges of solidarity but no binding commitments. The streets of Gaza, however, remain shrouded in darkness—a stark reminder of the stakes.

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Sources:

This article incorporates verified reporting, official statements, and firsthand accounts from the following sources:

• Al Jazeera: Coverage of closed-door summit disagreements and regional diplomatic tensions.
• Reuters: Details on Egypt’s border security measures and quotes from displaced Gazan Ahmed Barakat.
• The Associated Press: Reporting on Palestinian criticism of the Abraham Accords and UAE-Israel normalization.
• BBC Arabic: Interview with Al-Shifa Hospital surgeon Dr. Youssef al-Madhoun.
• Axios: Insights into draft ceasefire proposals and negotiation challenges.
• The National: UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s remarks on dialogue.
• Middle East Eye: Accounts of Mahmoud Abbas’s criticism during closed-door summit sessions.
• Al-Monitor: Leaked memo from Egypt’s intelligence agency regarding Sinai security concerns.
• CNN: Testimony from Dr. Faten Khodary on hospital conditions in Gaza.
• France 24: Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf’s condemnation of U.S. veto at the UN.
• The Washington Institute: Analysis of Iran’s strategic caution in the Gaza conflict.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Commentary by H.A. Hellyer on regional destabilization risks.
• Haaretz: Israeli political scientist Dahlia Scheindlin’s critique of Israel’s military objectives.
• Politico: EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell’s remarks on European disunity.
• The New York Times: Personal account from Gaza volunteer Layla Al-Masri.
• United Nations agencies (UNRWA, WHO): Statistics on displacement, hospital closures, and humanitarian needs.
• Gaza Mental Health Foundation: Psychologist Samira Haddad’s observations on trauma in children.

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