Washington( The COW News Digital)U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders from Muslim-majority countries today to discuss the escalating situation in Gaza. The multilateral meeting, announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leut, will include representatives from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
The talks will focus on the humanitarian and security crisis in Gaza, where Israeli military operations have intensified in recent months. According to U.S. media outlet Axios, Trump plans to present a comprehensive proposal aimed at restoring peace, including measures for the release of hostages, cessation of hostilities, Israeli troop withdrawal, and the establishment of a new governance framework involving Hamas.
The meeting is part of a broader diplomatic push by the United States to engage Arab and Muslim nations in both conflict resolution and post-war reconstruction efforts. Trump is expected to request that participating countries contribute forces to facilitate Israeli withdrawal and provide financial assistance for Gaza’s reconstruction and recovery after years of conflict.
This high-profile gathering coincides with the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where Trump is also scheduled to address the global body. The meeting comes amid a wave of diplomatic developments, including the formal recognition of the State of Palestine by countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, and Malta. While these recognitions have been welcomed internationally as steps toward a two-state solution, Israel and the United States have strongly opposed them, arguing that such recognition rewards extremism.
Since October 2023, ongoing Israeli operations have resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties, with the entire Gaza Strip population displaced and facing severe shortages of food and essential supplies. Human rights organizations and UN investigative reports have described these attacks as constituting severe violations of human rights, with some labeling them as acts of genocide.
The conflict originally escalated after a Hamas attack in October 2023 that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages. Subsequent Israeli military operations have extended beyond Gaza, targeting sites in Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Qatar.
Trump, who assumed office with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, initially brokered a two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, eight months later, a lasting resolution has yet to be achieved. Today’s meeting marks a renewed attempt to bring international stakeholders together to end hostilities and implement measures for peace and stability in the region.
