Saudi foreign minister calls for principles of humanitarian law to be followed in Gaza

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of foreign affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, has stressed the need for all parties involved in the conflict in Gaza to adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law, including the lifting of the siege on the territory and ensuring that food and other emergency aid supplies are allowed to reach the people there.

His comments came during a telephone call with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, to discuss the continuing military escalation in Gaza and the surrounding area, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

They also talked about the threats to unarmed civilians as a result of the conflict, and the importance of efforts by the international community to help end the fighting and protect civilians, the ministry added.

Prince Faisal said that a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue is the only way to guarantee security and stability.

The Israeli military was preparing for a possible ground invasion of Gaza on Thursday as it continued to pound the coastal strip for a sixth straight day in retaliation for the unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas that began on Saturday.

During a separate conversation with Antonio Tajani, the Italian minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Prince Faisal renewed the Kingdom’s pledge never to target civilians in any way, officials said. He again stressed the importance of respecting the rules of humanitarian law in Gaza, along with the pressing need for the siege of the territory to be lifted.

He also called for “joint international efforts to calm the situation” as well as moves aimed at “stopping military operations, and finding a just and comprehensive solution that does justice to the Palestinian people, and the importance of avoiding further escalation and violence,” the ministry said.