Arab authorities warn that Trump's plan for Gaza would inflame the Middle East.

Reuters - U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to seize control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians, which has drawn global condemnation, will threaten a fragile ceasefire in the enclave and fuel regional instability, senior Arab officials said on Wednesday.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, warned the World Summit of Governments in Dubai that if Trump goes ahead with his plan, he will lead the Middle East into a new cycle of crises with a "detrimental effect on peace and stability."

Trump angered the Arab world by unexpectedly declaring that the United States would take over Gaza, resettle its Palestinian population of over 2 million people, and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

After 16 months of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza war following Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, Palestinians fear a repeat of the "Nakba," or catastrophe, when some 800.000 people fled or were expelled during the 1948 war that led to the creation of Israel. Trump said they would not have the right to return.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that the ceasefire in Gaza will end and that the armed forces will resume fighting Hamas until it is defeated, should the Palestinian militant group not release the hostages by noon on Saturday.

Later, Hamas issued a statement renewing its commitment to the ceasefire and accusing Israel of jeopardizing it.

Hamas has been gradually releasing hostages since the start of the first phase of the ceasefire on January 19, but on Monday said it would not release any more hostages, accusing Israel of violating the agreement.

"If the situation escalates militarily once again, all this effort (of a ceasefire) will be wasted," said Aboul Gheit.

Jasem al-Budaiwi, who leads the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council political and economic alliance, urged Trump to remember the strong ties between the region and Washington.

"But there must be give and take, he gives his opinion and the Arab world must give its opinion; what he is saying will not be accepted by the Arab world."

Trump stated that Palestinians in Gaza, a small, impoverished strip of land, could settle in countries like Jordan, which already has a large Palestinian population, and Egypt, the most populous state in the Arab world. Both rejected the proposal.

Egypt will host an emergency Arab summit on February 27 to discuss "grave" developments for the Palestinians.