Cairo has intensified diplomatic contacts with Arab and Islamic states to rally support for the US draft resolution on Gaza at the UN Security Council. The effort comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza due to harsh winter storms affecting 1.5 million displaced people on the 36th day of a fragile ceasefire. Egyptian sources described it as a coordinated regional campaign to secure the resolution's passage or at least broad international backing.
Egyptian sources report that Cairo has conducted intensive diplomatic contacts in recent hours with several Arab and Islamic states to mobilize support for the US draft resolution on Gaza at the UN Security Council. The resolution focuses on core provisions linked to the Sharm el-Sheikh peace plan, aiming for its passage or at least broad international consensus.
In Gaza, harsh winter storms have exacerbated the plight of the displaced, with heavy rains and strong winds flooding dozens of tents in Gaza City, the central region, and Khan Younis. Gaza's Civil Defense reported receiving numerous distress calls from affected families. The Palestinian presidency urged the international community, particularly the United States and ceasefire guarantor states, to pressure Israel into allowing the entry of prefabricated homes, tents, and essential shelter materials. It accused Israel of imposing restrictions that prevent the Palestinian government from providing adequate shelter aid, warning that remaining tents are torn and unable to withstand rain, endangering children, women, and the elderly.
Hamas appealed to the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take a clear stance on what it called the "worsening humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza. Spokesman Hazem Qassem stated that residents "are experiencing a form of genocide even after the announcement of a ceasefire," citing ongoing aid restrictions, stalled reconstruction, and a prolonged blockade. Gaza's government media office said Israel has failed to meet commitments, allowing only 25% of agreed food and medical supplies and about 10% of required fuel. It estimated Gaza urgently needs 250,000 tents and 100,000 mobile homes for temporary shelter.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned of widespread unexploded ordnance in Gaza, while around 16,500 people require medical treatment unavailable inside the enclave. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is planning a meeting with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya to discuss ceasefire arrangements and post-war issues, though no date is set. CNN quoted two Israeli sources saying the Trump administration is pressing Israel to accelerate decisions on Hamas fighters in Rafah, including a prior proposal to relocate them to a third country.
These developments follow Israel's recovery of all its living captives and most remains held by Hamas's military wing, including the body of Colonel Asaf Hamami, one of the highest-ranking officers captured. Analysts note the prisoner exchange as the least complex ceasefire element, with more contentious issues on Gaza's governance and broader Palestinian rights ahead. The Guardian reported the US is developing a post-war framework dividing Gaza into a "green zone" under direct Israeli and international oversight for reconstruction and a "red zone" under temporary security measures. Israel's public broadcaster Kan said the army is preparing a plan to forcibly disarm Hamas if the US proposal lacks sufficient Security Council support.
The Council is expected to vote on the US resolution on Monday, after Washington ramped up lobbying amid objections from Russia and China and a competing Moscow draft. This diplomatic push comes nearly two years after Israel launched its devastating military campaign on Gaza on October 8, 2023, killing over 69,000 Palestinians, wounding 170,000, destroying about 90% of civilian infrastructure, with losses exceeding $70 billion.