Arab officials discuss Gaza and Lebanon at G7 summit

Representatives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar attend talks in Italy

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani shakes hands with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud. Reuters

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Arab officials met G7 foreign ministers on Monday in a bid to bring about a ceasefire to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

The Middle East led the agenda at the meeting with senior figures from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar present at the G7 summit in Italy.

“We need a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire,” said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. “That will stop the killings and stop the destruction and restore a sense of normality to life.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that Cairo would also host a minister-level conference next Monday to mobilise international aid for Gaza.

The ministers are also discussing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas's military chief Mohammed Deif, “and the possible effects on the current crises in Lebanon and Gaza”, Italy's Foreign Ministry said. Later in the week, the G7 will hold sessions on efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The “Quintet” group – the US, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and UAE – has been working to finalise recovery plans for Gaza to be ready for a time when military operations cease.

The first session, on Monday afternoon, was dedicated to the Israel-Gaza war and its wider impact on Lebanon and the Red Sea. Another session will include ministers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar, as well as Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the Arab League, the Italian government said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended the talks in Fiuggi alongside the UK, Canada, Germany, France and Japan.

The Arab foreign ministers joined the discussions on mechanisms for government, reconstruction and security for the territory once the fighting is over. US officials are trying to complete the formation of that structure before President Joe Biden leaves office in January.

“We have asked for the presence of partners in the region to foster dialogue with the members of the G7,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “Only together can we find concrete solutions that can bring peace and stability to the region.”

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pursue a policy that strongly favours Israel over the Palestinians and others hoping for a two-state solution to the conflict. He has nominated several officials who are staunchly pro-Israel.

The other major talking point of the G7 meeting is Ukraine, where tensions have heightened since Russia escalated the war by attacking Ukraine using an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is expected to be in Fiuggi on Tuesday, and Nato and Ukraine are holding emergency talks on the same day in Brussels. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the strike was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of US and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory.