Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

1 / 2
Ali Shaath, head of the Palestinian technocratic committee for managing the Gaza Strip, arrives at a hotel in Cairo on January 16, 2026. (AFP)
2 / 2
Displaced Palestinian children sit at a tent camp, after the United States said on Wednesday it is launching the second phase of its plan to end the Gaza war, in Gaza City, January 15, 2026. (Reuters)
Short Url
Updated 16 January 2026
Follow

Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee

  • Ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday welcomed the announcement of the second phase of a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministry said it also welcomed the formation of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip as a temporary transitional body, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which met in Cairo on Friday.

In a statement, the ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump, who declared the formation of the Gaza “board of peace,” for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza.

It highlighted his commitment to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the prevention of any annexation of parts of the West Bank, and efforts to advance sustainable peace in the region.

The ministry commended the role of mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, stressing the importance of international and regional cooperation in supporting the peace process.

It underlined the need to support the work of the temporary Palestinian National Committee in managing the daily affairs of Gaza’s residents, while preserving the institutional and geographical link between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, ensuring Gaza’s unity and rejecting any attempts to divide it.

The statement also called for consolidating the ceasefire, halting violations, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and accelerating early recovery and reconstruction efforts across Gaza.

It said these steps were essential to enabling the Palestinian National Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Gaza and the West Bank and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution.


Taif festival attracts record-breaking 370,000 visitors

The festival’s location underscores the historical and literary significance of Taif. (SPA)
Updated 16 January 2026
Follow

Taif festival attracts record-breaking 370,000 visitors

  • Commission CEO Abdullatif Alwasel said the event’s success reflects a strategic effort to integrate literature into daily life and expand creative spaces across Saudi Arabia

TAIF: The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission concluded its third Writers and Readers Festival in Taif. Running until Jan. 15, the event drew over 370,000 visitors, a record-breaking figure that solidifies the festival’s standing as a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s cultural calendar.

Commission CEO Abdullatif Alwasel said the event’s success reflects a strategic effort to integrate literature into daily life and expand creative spaces across Saudi Arabia.

The festival’s location underscores the historical and literary significance of Taif, which in 2023 became the first Saudi city designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature.