Arab foreign ministers urge permanent cease-fire in Gaza

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – At the UN in New York, a group of Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday urged a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

"What brings us closer to the solution is a cease-fire and Israel's response to decades-long peace efforts," Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said, as he and his colleagues from Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan addressed a special session of the UN Security Council in separate speeches on the situation in Gaza.

"Security Council Resolution 2712 must be fully implemented with a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire," he added.

Resolution 2712, passed on Nov. 15, calls for the establishment of urgent humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout Gaza.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed that "the Egyptian state is intensifying its efforts to reach a permanent cease-fire in Gaza."

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urged the Security Council to make a strong call for a cease-fire and to bring an end to Israeli “aggression.”

For his part, Qatar's Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said he looks forward to further action by the Security Council to ensure mechanisms to oversee aid distribution to all Palestinians across the Gaza Strip.

"We call for peace. The region will not enjoy peace and security without the establishment of a Palestinian state," he added.

Late Wednesday a six-day humanitarian pause in Gaza was extended for one additional day – the second extension – under which further prisoner exchanges will be carried out and more aid delivered.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

It has since killed over 15,000 people, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar