Iraq, in turn, as the host of the summit, focused on unifying its ranks and adopting a balanced foreign policy to maintain Arab solidarity and support the Palestinian cause, according to observers,” Shafaq News in Iraq noted.

Arab leaders meeting Saturday at a summit in Baghdad urged the international community to press for a Gaza ceasefire, as Israel launched an expanded military offensive in the Palestinian territory. It came hours after Israel's military launched a new Gaza offensive,

The 34th Arab League Summit began on Saturday in Baghdad, with Israel's war on Gaza dominating the talks besides other regional issues. It is Iraq's fourth summit and first since 2012. The summit began with a speech by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, as Manama held the presidency of the 33rd Arab League Summit.