CAIRO — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the repercussions of the ongoing escalation and the regional expansion of the conflict portend the grave danger of a full-scale war that would be difficult to contain. Addressing the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza on Monday, the minister said that the humanitarian crisis in Palestine has reached unbearable levels. Prince Faisal underscored that the brutal extermination in Gaza represents the most significant test for the international system. He stressed the urgent need to use all available means to end the suffering of the Palestinian people in a realistic, humane, and just manner. "Further deterioration of the situation in the region cannot be tolerated. Nearly 44,000 Palestinians have lost their lives to the relentless war machine, over 100,000 have been injured, and approximately 350,000 are living in catastrophic and inhumane conditions," he said while leading the Saudi delegation to the conference. Prince Faisal said that the massacres targeting children, women, and the elderly, the destruction of infrastructure in Gaza, the policies of repression, siege, and forced displacement affecting nearly two million people. The seizure of Palestinian lands by Israelis perpetuate suffering, fuel extremism, expand the scope of the conflict, and undermine opportunities for coexistence and sustainable peace. Prince Faisal stressed that the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and actions affecting the legal and historical status of Jerusalem are direct violations of international law and jeopardize the two-state solution. He also called for an end to these practices to prevent prolonging the cycle of violence and destruction. The Saudi minister reiterated the importance of an immediate and permanent ceasefire, urging all parties to act responsibly to protect lives and properties, exert every possible effort to prevent the escalation of violence, activate accountability mechanisms, end the policy of impunity and double standards, and ensure unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. Prince Faisal expressed the Kingdom's strong condemnation of exposing humanitarian work to collapse in the Palestinian territories and the undermining of the foundations of the international system through Israeli attacks on UN workers and its agencies, including UNRWA and UNIFIL. Prince Faisal warned that the Israeli Knesset's adoption of a law prohibiting UNRWA from carrying out its activities within Israel would have catastrophic consequences for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The minister affirmed that Saudi Arabia has spared no effort in providing aid and support to the victims of Israeli aggression. The total value of programs and projects implemented by the Kingdom in Gaza since the onset of the crisis has exceeded SR500 million. Additionally, the Kingdom has delivered more than 6,600 tons of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, including food, shelter supplies, medicines, medical equipment, and ambulances. "The tragic circumstances in the region compel us to redouble our efforts to prevent the expansion of the conflict, address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and create conditions conducive to stability. We must pave the way for a genuine prospect of returning to serious and effective negotiations to achieve peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with relevant international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. This would guarantee the Palestinian people their right to establish an independent Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," he said. The foreign minister emphasized that recognizing the Palestinian state and the Palestinian people's right to self-determination is an inherent right and a responsibility critical to the security of the region, as well as to the credibility and legitimacy of the international system. Prince Faisal stressed the importance of adhering to international law and relevant UN resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 2735 on the ceasefire in Gaza and Resolution 2334 on halting illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. The conference was attended by Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Saleh Al-Husseini, and Director General of the Foreign Minister's Office Abdulrahman AlDawood.
