Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasised the need to halt Israel’s military actions in Gaza during discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday.
The meeting took place at bin Salman’s winter retreat in the northwestern Saudi city of Al-Ula, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Bin Salman conveyed the significance of intensifying humanitarian efforts for Palestinians in Gaza and working towards establishing conditions for security and stability. He underscored the importance of a peace process that ensures the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and leads to a just and enduring peace.
Blinken is currently on an official visit to the region until January 11, covering countries such as Turkey, Greece, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Egypt, according to the US State Department.
This diplomatic engagement occurs amid an ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza since October 7, resulting in a reported 23,084 Palestinians killed and 58,926 wounded.
The United States has been a strong supporter of Israel during this period, providing significant military, intelligence, and diplomatic support. Critics have accused the US of being complicit in what they term Israeli “war crimes” in Gaza.
Israeli authorities claim around 1,200 Israelis have been killed in attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas.
The sustained Israeli offensive has left Gaza in a state of devastation, with 60% of its infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced, facing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.
