US President Donald Trump ended a high-stakes meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly with little public fanfare — waving to reporters instead of commenting on the outcome.

Before the talks, Trump had framed the gathering as crucial to halting the war in Gaza. “This war has gone on too long and we want it to end,” he said, adding that the group was also prioritising the release of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

The Emirati state news agency WAM reported that the meeting focused on securing a permanent ceasefire, freeing hostages, and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan joined the US president in New York.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff offered a quick thumbs-up when pressed by journalists about how the meeting had gone, but the president himself kept to his silence.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has been one of Israel’s sharpest critics, described the meeting as “very fruitful.” He told reporters a joint declaration would be issued but did not elaborate on its content.

The meeting came at a pivotal moment for Washington’s Middle East diplomacy, as Trump attempts to leverage US influence with Arab partners to push toward an elusive truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

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