Gaza Bombing
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has urged for an immediate halt to the Gaza bombing.
He emphasized the humanitarian crisis and criticized the international community’s failure to address Israel’s alleged violations of international humanitarian laws.
Speaking at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Gaza in Riyadh today, he called for the release of all captives and prisoners, condemning what he described as a “dual standards” approach by the world.
The summit, convened by Saudi Arabia, aims to discuss the “brutal aggression against the Palestinian people.”
Bin Salman insisted on ending the Israeli occupation, and illegal settlements, and restoring the established rights of the Palestinian people, advocating for the establishment of a state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The death toll in Gaza has exceeded 11,000 during the Israeli military offensive, with nearly half of the casualties being children.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a visit to India, expressed concern about the high number of Palestinian casualties, stating that “far too many Palestinians have been killed” and that many have suffered in recent weeks due to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russia expressed dismay at the Israeli ambassador’s statement that evacuating Russian citizens from the Gaza Strip might take up to two weeks.
Israel’s envoy in Moscow mentioned a daily evacuation rate of 500-600 people and 7,000 awaiting evacuation.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, called the logic behind this timeline unacceptable, emphasizing that Russia had followed all required procedures for submitting evacuation lists.
Over 500 Russian citizens are reportedly awaiting evacuation, with no public confirmation of any having left since the Rafah checkpoint reopened on Nov. 1. Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the West for escalating tensions in the region and Israel’s conduct in the conflict.
The conflict began over a month ago when Hamas militants entered Israel, resulting in casualties and hostage situations.
Israel responded with a campaign to destroy Hamas, leading to a significant number of casualties, including civilians and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip.
Citizens from the U.S., France, Britain, and Canada have already been evacuated from Gaza.
