By Anadolu staff
Saudi Arabia on Saturday renewed its call for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught in the besieged enclave.
“The issue of Palestine remains a priority for the Islamic Ummah (Muslim community), reflecting the voice of the Islamic community in support of the brotherly people of Palestine to ensure that they access their rights,” Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said at the 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in the Gambian capital Banjul.
“Since the launch of this aggression, the kingdom has been cooperating with brotherly people and countries to protect the people of Gaza,” he added.
“Israeli aggression remains ongoing and is even being escalated against civilians, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure, resulting in thousands upon thousands of victims,” the Saudi minister noted.
“The kingdom reiterates its demand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” he said, also renewing his country’s call for “the provision of safe passages and for the alleviation of the ordeal of the Palestinian people.”
The OIC summit started on Saturday in the Gambian capital Banjul.
The two-day summit, with the theme "Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development," will address global issues, notably the current situation in Palestine and the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which has so far killed over 34,600 people.
During the summit, three key documents – a draft Palestinian resolution, draft Banjul statement, and the draft final document – will be presented to the Council of Foreign Ministers and subsequently to the summit for discussion.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi