“We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the ongoing genocide and the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe taking place in the Gaza Strip,” read a statement issued by ministers of the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on developments in Gaza.
The committee called upon the international community – particularly the permanent members of the Security Council – to take urgent action to stop Israel’s illegal aggressive policies.
The committee also urged for the “immediate and comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, and an end to the ongoing violations committed by the occupying forces against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.”
The committee also demanded unconditional access to Gaza.
“The demand that Israel, as the occupying power, immediately and unconditionally allow the entry of humanitarian assistance at scale into the Gaza Strip — including food, medicine, and fuel — and ensure the freedom of operation of relief agencies and international humanitarian organizations, in accordance with international humanitarian law and its applicable principles,”
It also emphasized “the need to work on the immediate start of the implementation of the Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and calls for active participation in the Gaza Reconstruction Conference to be held in Cairo soon.”
After a security cabinet meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed a plan to take over Gaza City had been approved.
Israel’s military offensive since October 7 attack has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a series of calls on Friday with his counterparts in France, Egypt, and the EU to discuss the worsening situation in Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, and Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Prince Faisal stressed the need to halt Israeli violations and starvation tactics against Gaza’s population.
During his call with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Prince Faisal highlighted the urgent need to stop ongoing Israeli attacks and bring an end to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the area.
The calls came amid mounting regional concern over the deepening crisis in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia on Friday strongly condemned Israel’s declared intention to consolidate its military occupation of Gaza, calling it a blatant violation of international law and a continuation of “barbaric practices and ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians.
In a statement on Friday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced Israel’s systematic displacement, inhumane policies, and what it described as war crimes.
The Kingdom warned that such actions further destabilize the region and undermine global efforts to achieve lasting peace.
The condemnation follows Israel’s approval of a plan to assume full control over Gaza City, a move that marks a new phase in its military campaign, now in its 22nd month following the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
