Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, received on 2 February Ms. Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Senior Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat.
Gamal Roshdy, the official spokesman for the Secretary-General, stated that the meeting centred on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent need to consolidate the ceasefire while expediting relief efforts to address the unprecedented devastation in the Strip.
Roshdy noted that both the Secretary-General and the UN Coordinator concurred that any scenario involving the displacement of Gaza’s residents is entirely unacceptable, warning that such an approach would only deepen instability in the region. They emphasised that displacement must not be framed as a prerequisite for reconstruction, stressing that the technological and logistical capacities currently available—along with existing international programmes—make it possible to initiate reconstruction efforts while ensuring the continued presence of Gaza’s residents on their land.
During the discussions, Mr. Aboul Gheit underscored that forced displacement constitutes an existential threat to the Palestinian cause, warning that Israel’s actions appear aimed at rendering Gaza uninhabitable as a prelude to imposing this unacceptable scenario—one that flagrantly violates international law. He affirmed that the rational and humane alternative lies in mobilising all possible efforts to intensify and accelerate humanitarian relief, laying the groundwork for comprehensive reconstruction programmes.
The Secretary-General further stressed that the two-state solution remains the only viable framework for ensuring long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. Without serious and concerted efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, the region will remain vulnerable to recurring cycles of violence and instability.
