US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with leaders and representatives from several Muslim-majority countries on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza, which has been under escalating attack by Israel, a close ally of the US.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that Trump will convene a multilateral meeting with officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan. A source familiar with the discussions indicated that Gaza would be the primary focus of the talks.
Trump will reportedly present the group with a proposal for peace and post-conflict governance in Gaza.
Beyond discussing the release of hostages and bringing an end to the ongoing war, Trump is expected to outline US strategies for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and governance of the region after the war, with the aim of excluding Hamas from future leadership, Axios reported.
Additionally, the US is looking for support from Arab and Muslim-majority nations to send military forces to Gaza to facilitate Israel’s withdrawal, while securing financial commitments for the region’s rebuilding efforts.
On Tuesday, Trump is also set to address the UN General Assembly, a day after numerous global leaders gathered to endorse a Palestinian state, a significant diplomatic shift nearly two years into the Gaza conflict, which continues to face staunch opposition from both Israel and the United States.
The leaders reiterated that a two-state solution is essential for achieving peace, but Israel criticised the move, claiming that recognising a Palestinian state rewards extremism.
Since Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023, tens of thousands of Palestinians have died, and the entire population of Gaza has been displaced. The conflict has triggered a severe famine, leading multiple human rights experts, academics, and a UN inquiry to describe the situation as genocide.
Israel justifies its actions as self-defense following the October 2023 Hamas attack, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the taking of more than 250 hostages. Israel has also carried out military strikes on Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Qatar during the course of its operations in Gaza.
Trump, who had promised a swift resolution to the Gaza conflict, has yet to deliver on that commitment, despite being eight months into his presidency.
His tenure began with a two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which ended after Israeli airstrikes killed 400 Palestinians on March 18. Recent images of malnourished Palestinians, including children, have sparked global outrage and intensified criticism of Israel’s actions.
Earlier this year, Trump proposed a controversial plan for a US takeover of Gaza, involving the permanent displacement of Palestinians. The proposal was widely condemned as “ethnic cleansing” by human rights groups and the United Nations, as forcible displacement violates international law. Trump, however, characterised the plan as an effort to redevelop the region.
