Arab-Islamic Contact Group calls for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Philadelphi Corridor

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Arab-Islamic Contact Group on Gaza on Friday called for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, including from the border area with Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor.

This came in a statement, published by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, at the end of the group's meeting in the Spanish capital Madrid.

The contact group was established at a joint summit of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League in Saudi Arabia in November to stop the conflict in Gaza and help achieve lasting peace. It includes officials from Türkiye, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Palestine.

The statement affirmed the group's "full support" for the mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the US to end Israel’s war on Gaza.

"We reiterate our call for the immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and for the release of the hostages and detainees," it said.

The statement also called for "re-establishing the Palestinian Authority's full control over the Rafah crossing and all border areas (...) including the Philadelphi Corridor."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on maintaining control of the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, a position vehemently rejected by Hamas.

For months, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and over 95,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar