Saudi foreign minister engages in diplomatic efforts to halt Gaza violence

By Ibrahim Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held phone discussions Sunday with his counterparts from Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and Gambia on halting the violence in Gaza and supporting Palestinian rights.

Bin Farhan spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about the latest developments on the Palestinian issue, focusing on the efforts of Islamic countries to restore the legitimate rights of Palestine and its people and to enhance coordination to end the violence and Israeli violations.

In talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, the focus was on the current situation in the Palestinian territories and the need for immediate action to stop significant Israeli violations, while also supporting the establishment of a secure and stable Palestinian state.

Discussions with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi centered on the urgent need for a cease-fire and backing all Arab and Islamic efforts to achieve a fair and comprehensive solution for the Palestinian people, including the creation of an independent state.

With Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, Bin Farhan addressed the situation in the Palestinian territories and ways to boost Arab-Islamic support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The conversation with Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara also revolved around the situation in the Palestinian territories, stressing the importance of increasing Arab-Islamic efforts to halt Israeli violations and reviewing ongoing efforts in this regard.

Earlier, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, highlighting the need to intensify efforts to curb Israeli attacks and escalation in Gaza and the West Bank.

Since Oct. 7 last year, the Israeli military has expanded its operations in the West Bank while settlers have intensified their attacks, resulting in the deaths of 676 Palestinians, including 150 children, with over 5,400 injured and more than 10,200 arrested, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul