Jeddah: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has called on the international community to act immediately to stop Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, warning that continued violence threatens peace and stability worldwide.
Prince Faisal spoke at the 21st extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Jeddah on Monday, August 25, to discuss Israel’s ongoing aggression against Palestinians.
Prince Faisal said Palestinians are facing “horrific oppression and genocide” in clear violation of international law. He stressed that silence from world powers has worsened the humanitarian crisis and weakened hopes for peace.
The minister urged countries to stop Israel from trying to occupy Gaza City and expand settlements, saying such actions block any chance of stability and fuel further conflict. He also called for urgent humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without restrictions.
The minister reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for establishing a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also called for ensuring the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza without obstacles and for supporting the Palestinian Authority in its reform path, consolidating its role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
OIC Secretary-General calls for stronger action
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha, in a statement on X, said member states must intensify efforts to confront Israel’s crimes. He listed military aggression, genocide, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, systematic destruction, the illegal blockade of Gaza, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war among Israel’s violations.
He also condemned settlement expansion, annexation policies, and repeated attacks on holy sites, particularly in Jerusalem, holding Israel fully responsible as the occupying power.
Taha urged the international community to take concrete steps to break the blockade and allow the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance. He also strongly condemned the approval of new settlements in the E1 area of occupied Jerusalem and the killing of journalists in Gaza, stressing that these crimes demand prosecution under international criminal law.
Gaza faces famine and humanitarian crisis
The International Palestinian Committee (IPC) confirmed on Friday, August 22, that famine has already struck northern Gaza and is expected to spread further in the coming weeks.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations have killed over 62,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
The campaign has devastated the enclave, destroying much of its infrastructure and leaving the population facing severe hunger. Over 157,000 people have been injured, thousands remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.
