French President hosts Arab-Islamic ministerial committee to discuss Gaza crisis

Saudi Gazette report

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed on Friday members of a ministerial committee formed by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit.

The committee was chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and included key figures such as Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Ayman Al-Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan, and Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt.

The meeting focused on the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing Israeli aggression. Discussions centered on the urgent need for an immediate and complete ceasefire to protect civilians and ensure the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the region.

The Ministerial Committee emphasized the necessity of establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian State based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They highlighted the importance of international recognition of the Palestinian State, particularly by the permanent members of the UN Security Council, to secure the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights and facilitate a comprehensive and just peace.

Furthermore, the committee members called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law and humanitarian standards, particularly concerning its control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. They condemned the obstruction of essential humanitarian and relief aid into the Strip, urging global leaders to respond to these critical issues.