Saudi Arabia welcomes Gaza governance committee, launch of 2nd phase of ceasefire deal

​​​​​​​By Muhammed Ata and Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed the announcement launching the second phase of the ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip and the formation of the Palestinian National Committee to temporarily administer the enclave.

Earlier, the head of the committee, Ali Shaath, said the body “officially” began work from Cairo, ahead of a move to Gaza, adding that it has received pledges of significant financial support from “influential countries.”

The committee is part of US President Donald Trump’s plan for administering Gaza following a two-year Israeli genocide.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also welcomed Trump’s announcement establishing a “Board of Peace,” his commitment to an Israeli military withdrawal, and preventing the annexation of any part of the occupied West Bank.

Trump announced the creation of the board on Thursday, and the formal entry into the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

Riyadh praised mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye to advance a durable peace in the region, according to a statement.

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of preserving the institutional and geographic linkage between the West Bank and Gaza, ensuring Gaza’s unity and rejecting any attempts to divide it.

The kingdom also reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian national committee in carrying out its duties to manage daily affairs in the enclave.

The statement called for solidifying the ceasefire, guaranteeing unimpeded humanitarian access, and swiftly launching early recovery and reconstruction efforts.

It added that the steps should pave the way “for the Palestinian Authority to resume its responsibilities in Gaza, ultimately ending the occupation and realizing an independent Palestinian state.”

Palestinians have accused Israel of repeatedly violating the Oct. 10 ceasefire that halted Israel’s brutal war that has killed more than 71,000 victims, most of them women and children, and injured over 171,000 since October 2023.

At least 460 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 1,270 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.