"Opposing Israeli Aggression, Arab-Islamic Contact Group Meets in Madrid to Resolve Gaza Crisis"

"Opposing Israeli Aggression, Arab-Islamic Contact Group Meets in Madrid to Resolve Gaza Crisis"

Foreign ministers from various European and Middle Eastern countries are gathering today in Madrid, the capital of Spain, to increase pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, this meeting is the fifth official session of the "Arab-Islamic Contact Group," also known as the "Madrid Group."

Top diplomats from Spain, Norway, Slovenia, Ireland, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Bahrain are participating in the talks.

Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, told the influential Spanish newspaper El País last week:
“We want to deliver a strong message by uniting the voice of the European Union with the positions of Arab and Islamic countries. Our shared goal is to stop this war, prevent Gaza from turning into a mass grave, and break Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid.”

Another key topic of discussion in the meeting is an upcoming international peace conference to be held in June at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where a two-state solution will be on the agenda. This conference will be jointly chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.

This meeting is taking place at a time when Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip have caused a severe humanitarian crisis, and international calls for a ceasefire are growing louder.