Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Riyadh and emphasized the necessity for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and addressing the humanitarian crisis. The Saudi Foreign Minister stressed the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid enters the region, firmly rejecting calls for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Blinken underscored the significance of joint efforts to prevent the current crisis from escalating, highlighting the need to protect civilians, establish safe zones, and facilitate the delivery of aid to Gaza. According to Saudi state news channel Al-Ikhbariya, the two ministers discussed de-escalation in the Palestinian territories and the provision of safe humanitarian corridors to deliver medical care to the injured from Israeli bombardment, as well as providing food needs to the displaced due to the blockade in the region.
Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia is part of a regional tour that included Israel on Thursday and both Jordan and Qatar on Friday. The Saudi Foreign Minister also discussed the situation in Palestine with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a phone call. Bin Farhan urged his Chinese counterpart to encourage the UN Security Council to play its role in enforcing a ceasefire in Gaza. The importance of protecting civilians and ensuring all conflicting parties adhere to international humanitarian law were also emphasized during the discussions.
