BAGHDAD — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday urged global leaders to increase pressure on Israel “to halt the massacre in Gaza,” as Arab and international leaders gathered in Baghdad for an Arab League summit.
The call came just hours after Israel launched what it called the “initial stages” of a renewed military offensive in Gaza, more than 19 months into its war with Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attack.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also attending the summit, issued a stark plea: “We need a permanent ceasefire, now.” He voiced alarm over reports of Israel planning expanded ground operations, and firmly rejected any suggestion of displacing Palestinians outside Gaza.
Spanish leader Sanchez criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza, describing the civilian death toll as an “unacceptable number” that violates basic humanitarian principles. He revealed that Spain would push for a UN resolution seeking a ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel’s war tactics.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi used the summit to urge U.S. President Donald Trump to “exert all necessary efforts” to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
The summit followed Trump’s controversial Gulf tour, during which he reignited outrage by proposing that the U.S. take over Gaza and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” His earlier suggestion of displacing Palestinians was widely condemned, prompting Arab states to propose their own reconstruction initiative during a March meeting in Cairo.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced that Iraq would contribute $20 million each to reconstruction efforts in Gaza and Lebanon. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein emphasized that the summit would reaffirm existing Arab League resolutions countering Trump’s Gaza plan.
Meanwhile, ongoing nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were also on leaders’ minds. Trump hinted on Thursday that a deal was within reach but warned by Friday that failure to progress could lead to serious consequences.
In a regional diplomatic twist, Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist and central figure in Assad’s ousting, was absent from the summit following political opposition in Iraq. Damascus was instead represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Hosting its first Arab League summit since 2012, Iraq hopes the event will highlight its return to stability after years of conflict. Leaders from across the Middle East used the platform to coordinate political, humanitarian, and reconstruction strategies amid escalating regional tensions.