Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman on Friday called for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, Saudi Press Agency reported.
“We are pained by the escalation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, the price of which is being paid by innocent civilians,” he said while addressing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Riyadh Summit.
The Saudi crown prince affirmed the kingdom’s categorical rejection of the targeting of civilians, and underlined the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law and the need to stop military operations against civilians and infrastructure that directly affects their lives.
“We call for establishing conditions that lead to the return of stability and to the achievement of a lasting peace that ensures reaching a just solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, and helps attain security and prosperity for all,” he said.
Earlier, MBS received leaders and heads of delegations participating in the summit upon their arrival at the summit’s venue in Riyadh.
“I am delighted to welcome you in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are pleased to hold this summit that is a testimony to the friendship and cooperation between the GCC states and ASEAN,” he said.
At least 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and 13,000 wounded in Gaza in Israeli strikes since October 7, the Palestinian health ministry said on Friday in a statement, amid uncertainty over the entry of aid from Egypt.
On the other hand, Hamas’s October 7 attack inside Israel, killed more than 1,400 people.
Read: Biden absolves Israel of Gaza hospital strike
Earlier UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he’s dealing with “restrictions” being imposed on aid deliveries to Gaza, as Palestinian death toll from unrelenting Israeli strikes rises above 4,100.
“We are actively engaging with all the parties in order to clarify these restrictions so we can have these trucks moving towards where they’re needed. We need these trucks moving as soon as possible,” said Guterres, speaking at the Egyptian border crossing near Rafah in Gaza.
