Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud said: “Where the international community has failed is to end the immediate conflict and end Israeli aggression.”
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which saw hundreds of gunmen enter southern Israel. About 1200 people were killed, another 251 people were taken hostage.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign to destroy Hamas, killing more than 43,400 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
A report by the UN Human Rights Office shows that it is close to 70% of the confirmed casualties in the six-month period in Gaza were women and children.
Summit leaders also condemned what they called Israel’s “continuous attacks” on UN personnel and facilities in Gaza.
Last month, the Knesset passed a bill to ban Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, accusing the organization of colluding with Hamas.
Several countries, including the US and Britain, have expressed serious concerns about the move, which limits the agency’s ability to deliver aid to Gaza.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House comes amid large attendance at the summit.
Gulf leaders are aware of his closeness to Israel, but they also have good relations with him and want him to use his influence and his willingness to make deals to ensure an end to conflict in the region.
Trump is much more favorably regarded in Saudi Arabia than Joe Biden, but his record in the Middle East is mixed.
He pleased Israel and angered the Muslim world by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and annexing the occupied Golan Heights. He also secured the Abraham Accords in 2020, which saw the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco establish full diplomatic relations with Israel and Sudan.
However, one article in a leading Saudi newspaper today is titled: “A New Era of Hope. The return of Trump and the promise of stability.”
