Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered a strong message on Friday, reiterating the Kingdom’s steadfast refusal to target civilians in the Gaza Strip under any circumstances. The declaration came during the opening speech at the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh.
“[We call] for ending military operations against civilians and infrastructure in Gaza,” emphasized the Crown Prince. He further emphasized the Kingdom’s dedication to finding a lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Bin Salman stressed that efforts should concentrate on restoring stability and working towards a just resolution that establishes a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.
Amid the ongoing conflict, more than 1 million Palestinians, approximately half of Gaza’s population, have evacuated homes in the north and Gaza City following Israel’s evacuation advisories. Airstrikes persist throughout the entire territory, even in areas previously declared as “safe zones” by Israel.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with a hospital attack causing significant casualties. Both Hamas and the Israeli side blame each other for the deadly incident, which has claimed over 470 lives and left over 300 injured. Since the commencement of Hamas’ extensive offensive nearly two weeks ago, the overall toll stands at more than 3,500 lives in Gaza and over 1,400 in Israel, according to various estimates.
