Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has pledged $40 million towards rebuilding efforts in Gaza and Lebanon following a wave of Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 140 people in Gaza.
The announcement was made during the Arab League summit held Saturday in Baghdad, where regional leaders gathered to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Sudani stated that Iraq would contribute $20 million each to the reconstruction of Gaza and Lebanon as part of a new Arab Solidarity Fund, aimed at supporting communities devastated by conflict.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed it launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots, describing it as a major escalation in its campaign against Hamas. The Israeli army said it targeted more than 150 “terror sites” in Gaza within a 24-hour period. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that at least 100 people were killed on Friday alone.
A joint communiqué issued at the summit called for unity among Palestinian factions and an end to the violence. Arab leaders also urged the international community to intervene and support efforts to bring lasting peace to the region.
Israel resumed its offensive on Gaza on March 18, following a two-month ceasefire in the conflict triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced mounting international pressure to end the blockade on Gaza, as humanitarian organizations warn of dire shortages in food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.
