Russia and Saudi Arabia have expressed shared concern regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, calling for an immediate ceasefire in a joint statement on Thursday.
The Kremlin issued the statement following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
“The two sides discussed the developments in the situation in Palestine, expressed deep concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” the statement read, adding that Moscow and Riyadh also “emphasized the need to end military operations in the Palestinian territories, as well as the need to protect civilians in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.”
Israeli officials attacked the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday after the latter invocated a rare clause in the UN charter to press for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. https://t.co/GaP0ak2dZe pic.twitter.com/6WlNtNkoWY
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 7, 2023
During the meeting, Russia and Saudi Arabia announced that they would enhance their cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as in other fields including food security, space exploration, tourism, and health.
UK-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat also reported on Thursday that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah has received a call from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to discuss “the letter (Guterres) addressed to the Security Council, invoking for the first time since he assumed office Article 99 of the United Nations Charter”.
Guterres’ move urges the Security Council to call for a ceasefire in Gaza in order to avert a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
The Israeli occupation forces continued on Thursday afternoon to strike civilian targets in various parts of the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding dozens of people, most of them children and women.https://t.co/ewXVnKfYLF pic.twitter.com/6Snk4BXRVE
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 7, 2023
“The Saudi Minister expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation and great support for the justified and important step taken by Guterres to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter,” Asharq Al-Awsat added.
Since October 7, 17,177 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
