Storyline: The Arab League has urged the creation of a clear political roadmap toward Palestinian statehood, warning that a ceasefire alone will not prevent future bloodshed. The call comes as Israel and Hamas agreed to a U.S.-backed deal on Oct 9 to halt a two-year conflict that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, injured nearly 170,000 others, and left Gaza in ruins. The agreement marks the "first phase" of a broader peace plan, brokered after intense negotiations in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh and mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States. It outlines a phased Israeli withdrawal and sets up mechanisms for prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid delivery. In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the Arab League secretary-general, said the situation demands a radical and comprehensive response to the root causes of the crisis, alongside a clear path toward establishing an independent Palestinian state. Rushdi described the next phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan as a critical milestone, stressing that it must be accompanied by a genuine international effort to guarantee Palestinian rights and uphold sovereignty across all Palestinian territories. "We need more than just a ceasefire. A ceasefire alone would mean that these conflicts, violence, suffering, and pain could return in a few months or years. But we are asking for an addressing of the root causes that have led us to this painful situation and the difficult conditions faced by the Palestinians. Therefore, in the next phase, we hope to continue to move forward, whether it's the good initiative of the US President to achieve a ceasefire, or the support of the international community, the plans of countries around the world, and the efforts of the international community, towards a two-state solution," Rushdi said. Rushdi acknowledged lingering ambiguities in the plan but underscored that Arab principles remain clear and uncompromising, most importantly, that any political path must lead to an independent Palestinian state. "Some details (of the plan) remain unclear, but the general framework is clear, and it has been discussed previously by the Arab side. Some kind of connection must be established between Gaza and the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority must have a presence in Gaza. How can these goals in details be achieved step by step through various mechanisms? I think we should discuss the framework proposed by the Arab side, as the foundation of their position and vision for Gaza's future," he said. The Arab League spokesman welcomed the existence of an international mechanism to monitor the situation in Gaza, but stressed the need to clarify the details of this mechanism and its working mechanisms to ensure respect for Palestinian sovereignty. "It's undoubtedly a good thing that we have some kind of international mechanism in place at the highest international level, to address the situation in the Gaza Strip, or to monitor, observe, and oversee it. What's needed now are the details, to ensure we all understand and agree on how to implement it, and to ensure that it ultimately serves the interests of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination," he said. Rushdi also noted that the agreement to halt the Israeli massacres in Gaza in the first phase of the plan is a significant achievement, stressing that the cessation of hostilities represents the fruit of intensive diplomatic efforts by Arab and Islamic countries over the past two years. "One very important achievement was the cessation of the bloodshed. This was a call from Arab countries and the international community for the two-year massacre in the Gaza Strip. For two full years, Arab countries, through the Joint Arab-Islamic Committee and various conferences and summits, have made tremendous efforts, primarily to achieve a ceasefire, restore calm, and then gradually pursue other goals," said the spokesman. Shotlist: FILE: Cairo, Egypt - Date Unknown: 1. Headquarters of League of Arab States (LAS), flags Cairo, Egypt - Recent: 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Rushdi, spokesman, secretary-general of Arab League (partially overlaid with shot 3): "We need more than just a ceasefire. A ceasefire alone would mean that these conflicts, violence, suffering, and pain could return in a few months or years. But we are asking for an addressing of the root causes that have led us to this painful situation and the difficult conditions faced by the Palestinians. Therefore, in the next phase, we hope to continue to move forward, whether it's the good initiative of the US President to achieve a ceasefire, or the support of the international community, the plans of countries around the world, and the efforts of the international community, towards a two-state solution." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip - Oct 8, 2025: 3. Various of streets, pedestrians [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Oct 12, 2025: 4. Various of destroyed buildings, local residents clearing debris Cairo, Egypt - Recent: 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Rushdi, spokesman, secretary-general of Arab League: "Some details (of the plan) remain unclear, but the general framework is clear, and it has been discussed previously by the Arab side. Some kind of connection must be established between Gaza and the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority must have a presence in Gaza. How can these goals in details be achieved step by step through various mechanisms? I think we should discuss the framework proposed by the Arab side, as the foundation of their position and vision for Gaza's future." Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Oct 12, 2025: 6. Various of debris, heavy machines working, municipal service workers Cairo, Egypt - Recent: 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Rushdi, spokesman, secretary-general of Arab League (starting with shot 6/ending with shot 8): "It's undoubtedly a good thing that we have some kind of international mechanism in place at the highest international level, to address the situation in the Gaza Strip, or to monitor, observe, and oversee it. What's needed now are the details, to ensure we all understand and agree on how to implement it, and to ensure that it ultimately serves the interests of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination." Gaza Strip - Recent: 8. Various of long line of vehicles packed on road, crowd of displaced Palestinians walking on road with belongings Cairo, Egypt - Recent : 9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jamal Rushdi, spokesman, secretary-general of Arab League (partially overlaid with shot 10): "One very important achievement was the cessation of the bloodshed. This was a call from Arab countries and the international community for the two-year massacre in the Gaza Strip. For two full years, Arab countries, through the Joint Arab-Islamic Committee and various conferences and summits, have made tremendous efforts, primarily to achieve a ceasefire, restore calm, and then gradually pursue other goals." FILE:Al-Shakoush, Gaza Strip - June 11, 2025: [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 10. Various of civilians walking, riding vehicles towards aid distribution site [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Gaza Strip - Recent: 11. Various of destroyed buildings seen from moving vehicle. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]