King Mohammed VI of Morocco stated on Saturday that "the brutal aggression against Gaza, which has caused the proud Palestinian people to live in extremely dangerous conditions, is a blot on the conscience of humanity." In a speech delivered on his behalf by Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq during the 15th Islamic Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Gambian capital Banjul, he asserted, "We urgently reiterate our call for an immediate, sustainable, and comprehensive halt to this unprecedented aggression, and for allowing the flow of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip."
He noted, "In the face of this humanitarian catastrophe, the likes of which our contemporary world has not witnessed, we have taken the initiative, as the President of the Al-Quds Committee, stemming from our duty of solidarity that frames the work of our organization, and contributing to the relief and aid efforts undertaken by brotherly and friendly countries, to ensure the delivery of significant quantities of aid to our Palestinian brothers, directly to Gaza and Jerusalem, via the Rafah crossing, in coordination with the Egyptian authorities. Despite the difficulties, we are strengthening the fieldwork carried out by the Al-Quds Bayt Mal Agency, guided by our directives and under our supervision, to carry out social and economic projects for the benefit of the Jerusalem population and to provide support to some hospitals."
King Mohammed VI also affirmed that "the ongoing discussions about the future of the Gaza Strip can only be valid in the context of stopping the hostilities and alleviating all forms of suffering of the Palestinian people, as Gaza is a Palestinian matter and part of the unified Palestinian territories that must enjoy peace and independence within the framework of a two-state solution and in accordance with the relevant international resolutions."
He called for "an end to any provocative acts that may escalate the conflict," urging "an end to the illegal unilateral Israeli measures affecting the occupied Palestinian territories, including the noble city of Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, aimed at altering the legal and cultural status of the holy city of Jerusalem."
The King of Morocco reiterated Morocco's complete rejection of "all forms of forced displacement, collective punishment, and retaliatory actions against our Palestinian brothers." He also called upon influential countries in the resolution of this conflict to "bear their historical responsibility, be rational and logical, and work diligently to put an end to this catastrophic situation, to extract the region from the spiral of violence, exclusionary policies, and the imposition of facts on the ground, and to create the appropriate conditions for relaunching a genuine peace process that leads to an internationally agreed-upon two-state solution."
