Riyadh (Web Desk/Agencies): The leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries in unanimous show of solidarity with the Palestinian people bracing the brutal onslaught of Israel’s aggression for the last five weeks in Gaza, on Saturday strongly condemned the ongoing killing of about 11,000 civilians, besides, called for an immediate solution to the issue and end to the humanitarian crises.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting a Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which brings together leaders from the Arab and Islamic world to discuss the current worsening situation in Gaza and the future strategy.
In his opening remarks, Crown Prince of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman demanded an immediate end to the Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Terming the situation as ‘a humanitarian catastrophe’ he said that it showed the failure of the international community and the UN Security Council to put an end to Israel’s gross violations of global humanitarian laws.
The crown prince further called for an end to the Israeli occupation, illegal Israeli settlements and restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people, besides establishment of the state on the basis of 1967.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in his address, highlighted that besides targeting Gaza, Israeli forces were conducting raids in the occupied West Bank.
He called for an end to “Israel’s aggression, the occupation, violation and desecration of the holy sites”.
President Abbas rejected any military and security solutions and said they categorically rejected any efforts to displace their people from Gaza or the West Bank.
Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is among the other Muslim world leaders attending the summit.
President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, in his address, said that today, Palestine was the key to the dignity of the humanity as the worst crimes were being witnessed by the people in the history of the world.
He stressed that entire Islamic world should be united to sort out the problem, adding that the OIC should play an important role in forging unity among the Muslim countries.
The Iranian president said the Zionist regime was on carnage and destruction drive in Gaza which was nothing but “brutality’ and mockery of the international laws. The Gaza had been the biggest prison in the world.
All kind of banned arsenal and weapons were being used against Gazans which resulted in deaths of 11,000 defenceless civilians in the five weeks of Israeli barbaric aggression, he added.
President Raisi called for an end to the killing of civilians and opening of humanitarian corridor.
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi denounced the collective punishment of civilians by killings, laying siege and forcible displacement of the Palestinians which he said were unacceptable.
“This cannot be interpreted as self-defence and must be stopped immediately,” he added.
President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in their remarks, urged the international community to immediately act to end the Palestinian crises and stop Israel from continuing with its aggression.
Israel launched relentless and indiscriminate air and ground assaults on the Gaza Strip including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship after October 7.
According to official figures, so far at least 11,078 Palestinians had been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women.
