Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss developments in Rafah City, situation in Gaza

By Ibrahim Al-Khazen

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed the developments in Rafah City and efforts to address the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, on Friday.

The two top diplomats "viewed the bilateral relations between the two countries and discussed regional and international developments," the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

They also "discussed recent developments in Rafah City, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the related efforts made," the statement added.

Israel is planning to raid the densely populated Rafah, which hosts more than 1.4 million people.

Palestinians sought refuge in Rafah after the Israeli army launched intensified bombardments on Gaza and Khan Younis cities, as well as their surrounding towns and neighborhoods.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The ensuing Israeli attack had killed at least 28,775, injured more than 68,552 others, and caused mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio