Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry reiterated on Sunday calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and for aid to reach those in need.
The officials were speaking during a joint press conference in Egypt after holding talks.
This comes as Israel is continuing its war against the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group Hamas which has so far killed 26,422, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory.
Prince Faisal called on Israel to respect international laws and conducts, noting that Saudi Arabia along with Arab states will continue to exert pressure to protect the Palestinian people.
“What we need from the international community is a decision that international laws [and] international humanitarian laws are of value and are mandatory and this is applicable to Israel as is applicable to others,” Prince Faisal said, noting that Israel’s rejection of a decision by the International Court of Justice is an example of this challenge faced.
The ICJ on Friday ordered Israel to take action to prevent acts of genocide as it wages war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, but it stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision by the ICJ not to order a ceasefire in the war in Gaza but rejected a charge of genocide as “outrageous,” and said it would continue to defend itself.
Prince Faisal said that Israel’s approach to the war in Gaza and collective punishment that it is following are in violation of international laws.
“The international community has a choice in this case. Does the international community want international laws to have a value? Does it want peace to have a place? Then there should be a unified international community towards this crisis.”
