Muslim leaders demand immediate end to Gaza war
In a historic joint summit held in Riyadh, leaders from Arab and Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Syria, issued a collective demand for an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza.
The leaders rejected Israel's claim of self-defense and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate what they referred to as "war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel" in the Palestinian territories.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia a key figure in organizing the summit emphasized the urgent need to end hostilities in Gaza. The gathering included prominent leaders such as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who recently re-entered the Arab League.
Prince Mohammed strongly condemned the ongoing conflict, labeling it a 'barbaric war against our brothers in Palestine.' He pointed to the failure of the United Nations Security Council and the international community to curb what he deemed as "flagrant Israeli violations of international laws," resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas characterized the situation as a 'genocidal war' and urged the United States to intervene and put an end to Israeli 'aggression.'
President Raisi expressed support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, commending their resistance against Israel. He called for Islamic nations to impose sanctions on Israel, including measures related to oil and goods, as a means of supporting the Palestinian cause.
Tensions in the Middle East escalated since October 7, when Hamas fighters launched an attack on Israel, resulting in 1,200 casualties. In response, Israel intensified its assault on Gaza, with Palestinian officials reporting 11,078 casualties as of Friday, including a disturbing 40% who were children.
The joint summit marks a significant diplomatic effort by Arab and Muslim leaders to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and advocate for international intervention to bring about a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
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