By Ibrahim Khazin
RIYADH (AA) – Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held discussions Wednesday on the importance of an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and the situation in the city of Rafah, which Israel is threatening to invade despite international warnings.
During the meeting in the city of Jeddah, efforts to ensure the entry of urgent humanitarian aid were also discussed, said a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
Ways to enhance bilateral relations and mutual cooperation in various fields were also reviewed, the ministry added.
“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed the urgent need to protect all civilians in Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian assistance to those in need,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in a statement.
“Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of continued close coordination with regional and international partners on resolving the conflict in Gaza and preparing for the post-conflict phase.
“The Secretary emphasized the United States’ commitment to achieving sustained peace through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel,” he added.
Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday was part of his sixth tour of the region since the start of the Gaza war last October and includes Egypt on Thursday and Israel on Friday as part of US efforts to resolve the crisis.
His tour of the region coincides with the launch of new negotiations meditated by Egypt, Qatar and the US to assist in reaching an agreement between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel to ensure a cease-fire and prisoner exchange.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.
Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala