D-8 Summit: Leaders Address Gaza, Syria instability

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi opened the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation summit in Cairo on Thursday.

In his opening remarks, el-Sissi warned that Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, its spillover into Lebanon, and recent developments in Syria "will have repercussions that will affect everyone, politically and economically."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the need to support Syria’s recovery after Syrian rebels overthrew the government of Bashar Assad earlier this month.

"The Syrian people need unity, solidarity and a rapid recovery of their war-weary country," Erdogan said.

He also stressed the importance of restoring Syria's territorial integrity and ensuring peaceful coexistence among all groups.

His comments come after Israel seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, following Assad's ouster by rebels last week.

The D-8 organization, founded in 1997, includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.