Following a breakthrough in talks to end the war in the Gaza Strip, Germany has proposed organizing a conference with Egypt on the reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave, DPA reported, citing a statement by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful, BTA reports.
“This should be a conference with broad political goals, which outlines the political framework for the Gaza Strip and envisages achieving a two-state solution“, Wadeful said from Belfast, where he is participating in a conference on the Western Balkans. This was said hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and the Palestinian armed group “Hamas“ have reached an agreement on the first phase of the US-proposed peace solution for Gaza.
Vadeful noted that a meeting in Paris between representatives of European, Arab and Muslim countries could be part of the peace process. “But Israel is missing from the negotiating table - and that is where it belongs“, he stressed.
The German foreign minister said that the conference Germany wants to organize with Egypt “must include Israel and the US“. Berlin is ready to provide humanitarian aid and support the establishment of an administration in the Palestinian enclave.
Vadeful reiterated his call for a UN mandate for the next steps in Gaza. “We need a legal framework for everything that is happening right now in the Gaza Strip“, he said, stressing the need for a security force “to guarantee peace and that there is no threat to Israel“. He added that an effective administration is needed and stressed that “a mandate from the UN Security Council is desirable for all of this“.
Earlier today, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Berlin was monitoring the situation surrounding President Trump's Gaza peace plan, but was convinced that a solution to the conflict could be found this week. “We are hopeful about the events in Israel. There is a high probability that an agreement for lasting peace will be reached in the next few hours“, he said after a meeting with senior representatives of the ruling coalition in Berlin.
The American plan to end the war in Gaza calls for the release of Israeli hostages by Saturday morning, and for the Israeli army to complete the first phase of its partial withdrawal within 24 hours of the conclusion of the agreement.