The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries released a joint statement this Friday defending the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip as an essential step towards the reconstruction of Palestinian territory and the creation of a new government structure after the conflict. The position was announced at the end of the ministerial meeting held in Manama, Bahrain, between the American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the foreign ministers of the Gulf countries.
In the document, the governments reaffirmed support for the efforts of the so-called Peace Council, responsible for coordinating Gaza stabilization, recovery and reconstruction initiatives, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. The objective is to lay the foundations for the reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed by the war and for the resumption of essential services for the population.
The declaration states that reconstruction will only be possible with the demilitarization of the territory. According to meeting participants, Gaza must no longer be controlled by armed groups to allow the implementation of a long-term recovery plan.
The countries also defended the transfer of administration of the Gaza Strip to an independent Palestinian committee, technical and civil profile. The proposal seeks to create a governance structure focused on reconstruction and the provision of public services, without direct links to political or military factions.
Another point that caught attention was the explicit support for President Donald Trump’s vision for the future of the Palestinian territory. In the statement, the United States and Gulf countries praised the proposal presented by the Republican to transform Gaza into a region focused on peace, stability and economic prosperity after the end of the war.
The joint position represents a rare alignment between Washington and the Gulf monarchies on the political future of Gaza and signals an attempt to speed up discussions about who will administer the territory when the fighting ends. The topic continues to be one of the most sensitive in negotiations in the Middle East, especially given the disagreements over the role of Hamas in the post-war period.
Although the declaration does not detail deadlines or values for reconstruction, the political message was clear: for the United States and its Arab allies, the future of Gaza depends on the removal of the influence of armed groups, the creation of an independent civil administration and a broad international reconstruction effort.
