DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Foreign ministers from Muslim nations met in the Saudi city of Jeddah to discuss the situation in Gaza. They rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate the Palestinian population from Gaza and supported a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to oversee the territory for reconstruction efforts. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, consisting of 57 largely Muslim nations, condemned any efforts to displace Palestinians or engage in ethnic cleansing, labeling it a violation of international law and a crime against humanity. The ministers also denounced policies of starvation aimed at forcing Palestinians to leave.
The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member, after its expulsion in 2012 due to President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on opposition protests. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, initiated in mid-January, has brought a temporary halt to hostilities. However, the second phase of the ceasefire, designed to secure the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce, faces uncertainty as Israel hesitates to negotiate. Instead, Israel demands Hamas to release half of the hostages in exchange for extending the ceasefire.
Amid these developments, Trump suggested resettling Gaza’s population elsewhere to allow the United States to take control and develop the territory. Palestinians have rejected this proposal. The ministers at the OIC meeting endorsed an Egyptian-backed plan for an administrative committee to govern Gaza under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority based in the West Bank. Israel opposes the PA’s involvement in Gaza’s governance but has not proposed an alternative.
The ceasefire has led to Israeli forces withdrawing to Gaza’s perimeters. However, a recent Israeli strike in Rafah resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted individuals flying a drone into Israel from Gaza.
Since the start of Israel’s military offensive, over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have lost their lives in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry in Gaza has not provided information on the number of militants among the deceased. The military operation was sparked by an attack carried out by Hamas in October 2023, where militants killed approximately 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, in Israel and held 251 people captive. Many hostages have since been released through ceasefires or other means. It is reported that Hamas currently holds 24 living hostages and the remains of 34 individuals.
