Saudi Arabia and seven nations condemn ongoing Israeli violations in Gaza

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey have strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing violations in the Gaza Strip, particularly the targeting of health facilities, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the continued loss of civilian lives, including women and children, in grave breach of international law, including international humanitarian law.

In a joint statement, the ministers stressed that these ongoing violations represent a clear breach of Israel’s obligations under international law and the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza. They warned that such actions undermine international and regional efforts to implement the second phase of the plan, especially following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of Palestinian factions’ acceptance of the roadmap, including provisions on arms control. The ministers said these violations threaten to derail the political process, reignite escalation, and deepen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

The ministers emphasized that protecting civilians, safeguarding medical facilities and workers in the health and humanitarian sectors, and ensuring the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian and medical aid throughout Gaza are legal obligations that must not be compromised under any circumstances.

They further stated that Israel’s ongoing violations in Gaza cannot be separated from settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, illegal settlement expansion, and unilateral measures aimed at changing the status quo in occupied Jerusalem. Together, these practices constitute a systematic policy to impose new realities by force, undermine the foundations of the two-state solution, and marginalize the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

The ministers renewed their call on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and to take practical and effective measures to compel Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 2803, and to hold those responsible for serious violations accountable. They said such steps are essential to protect civilians, preserve opportunities to complete the agreement’s implementation, and achieve a permanent ceasefire.

The ministers also reiterated their countries’ firm rejection of any attempts to annex occupied Palestinian land, impose Israeli sovereignty over it, or forcibly displace the Palestinian people. They affirmed that the only path to a just and comprehensive peace is through launching a serious political process leading to the implementation of the two-state solution, ensuring the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.