Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh: Egypt calls for serious stance to protect Gaza

The leaders of Arab and Muslim nations, meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, called for ending the blockade on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

They also called for allowing the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, including food, medicines and fuel.

Saudi Arabia hosted the Arab-Islamic summit yesterday, against the background of escalating Israeli aggressions in Gaza.

So far, over 11,ooo people have been killed and thousands of others injured because of Israel’s continual bombardment of the coastal enclave.

Around 1.5 million Gazans, especially from the northern and central parts of their territory, have been displaced, with the Israeli army asking them to head south, near the border with Egypt’s Sinai.

The leaders of Arab and Muslim nations meeting in Riyadh yesterday also underscored their support for the measures taken by Egypt in the face of Israeli aggressions on Gaza.

They called on the United Nations Security Council to denounce Israeli attacks against hospitals in Gaza.

The leaders attending the summit also asked arms manufacturing countries to suspend the export of weapons and ammunitions to the Israeli occupation army.

Earlier in the day, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the summit was held at an exceptional time.

The Egyptian leader said the people of Gaza are the target of what he described as ”inhumane practices’.

“They [these practices] take us back the Middle Ages,” President Sisi said.

He called for a serious stance from the international community, especially if this community wants to preserve a minimum of its political and moral credibility.

He said time weighs heavily on the Palestinian people.

“Times passes on us, and on all peoples with free consciences, painfully and sadly, revealing the evils of double standards and the imbalance of common sense,” President Sisi said.

He said the targeting, killing and terrorizing of civilians on both sides run counter to international law and international humanitarian law.

Today, he said, we reaffirm our clear condemnation of these actions.

“However, the policies of collective punishment of the people of Gaza is unacceptable and cannot be justified by as self-defence,” President Sisi said.

He called for the immediate suspension of this punishment.

President Sisi added that the Security Council bears direct responsibility to bring about an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza unconditionally.