Today’s news / Arab states seek UN troops for Gaza, West Bank
The leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, who resides in the West Bank, was among the participants at the summit in Bahrain. Photo: -/Ritzau Scanpix

Arab states seek UN troops for Gaza, West Bank

The Arab League, comprising 22 Arab states, has called for the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. These forces should patrol the Palestinian territories until a two-state solution is reached, involving the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. The League met for a summit in Bahrain, urging an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, which has been ravaged by war. They demand a halt to forced displacement, the end of sieges, and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid. Last successful ceasefire negotiation was in November during the war initiated by Israel after attacks by Hamas; however, since the six-day truce, further peace has not been achieved. Currently, representatives from Israel, Hamas, and mediators including the USA, Qatar, and Egypt, are engaged in talks in Cairo.