Khaberni - Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced an unprecedented initiative to support the reconstruction of Gaza Strip, involving the sending of gold seized from drug traffickers to fund medical care for injured Palestinian children.
This is part of Colombia's support for the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, according to Colombian media reports.
Petro said on his "X" platform account: "I have ordered the National Asset Management Agency to send gold that was seized from drug trafficking networks to fund the treatment of wounded children in Gaza."
He added that his country will also propose a resolution to the United Nations calling for the formation of an international army charged with reconstructing Gaza and ensuring security and stability in the sector after the war.
Moreover, the National Asset Management Agency (SAE), affiliated with the Colombian Ministry of Finance, confirmed that it has started studying the legal and technical mechanisms to implement President Petro's directives, noting that this step is part of Colombia’s humanitarian and international commitments.
Colombia's initiative comes at a time when United Nations estimates indicate that the cost of reconstructing Gaza could exceed $70 billion, with $20 billion required during the first three years of the rebuilding phase.
According to the ceasefire agreement sponsored by Washington and Arab countries, reconstruction projects are scheduled to begin simultaneously with the implementation of a prisoner exchange deal, which includes the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli prisoners under international committee supervision.
Since the outbreak of the war, President Gustavo Petro has been among the leading Latin American supporters of the Palestinian cause. He has repeatedly accused the Israeli government of committing "genocide" in Gaza and cut diplomatic relations with Israel last year. He has also repeatedly called for urgent international action "to stop the war and rebuild the sector."
Despite its limited influence in the Middle East, Colombia is one of the most politically active Latin American countries in supporting the Palestinians, especially in humanitarian and medical issues, having previously received injured Palestinians for treatment in its hospitals.
Colombian analysts believe that Petro's initiative has a strong symbolic and humanitarian significance rather than being a step with a direct economic impact but reinforces Colombia's position as a political and humanitarian supporter of the Palestinians on the international stage.
Thus, President Petro joins a list of leaders who link international justice to the reconstruction of Gaza, striving to affirm that solidarity with the Palestinians is not confined to the Middle East alone but extends to Latin America and the world.
