A delegation consisting of Arab and Muslim ministers called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza today during a visit to Beijing, which is the first stop on a tour aimed at pressuring for an end to the fighting and allowing humanitarian aid into the devastated Palestinian territory. The delegation, which is scheduled to meet with officials representing the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, is pressuring the West to reject Israel's justification of its actions against the Palestinians as self-defense.
The delegation includes officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, Palestine, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, who are meeting today with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated, "We are here to send a clear message that a ceasefire must be implemented immediately and humanitarian aid and needs must be allowed into Gaza without delay." He warned that Gaza is suffering from a suffocating humanitarian disaster and urged the international community to take responsibility to stop Israel's aggressions.
The extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit held in Riyadh this month also urged the International Criminal Court to investigate "war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel" in the Palestinian territories. Saudi Arabia seeks to pressure the United States and Israel to end the fighting in Gaza, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman convening Arab and Muslim leaders to reinforce this message.
The summit also called for an end to the blockade imposed on Gaza, allowing humanitarian assistance, and stopping arms sales to Israel. Israeli Ambassador to China Ereet Ben-Abba expressed to foreign journalists in a briefing today that she hopes no statements will be made about the ceasefire during this visit, stating, "Now is not the right time." She noted that Israel hopes the delegation will discuss the hostages held by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) "and call for their immediate release without preconditions," adding that the parties involved should discuss "Egypt's role in facilitating humanitarian aid."
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that Beijing is a "loyal and brotherly friend to Arab and Islamic countries," adding that it "firmly and always supports the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate rights and interests." Since the onset of hostilities, China's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly refrained from condemning Hamas, instead calling for de-escalation and urging both Israel and the Palestinians to strive for a "two-state solution" to establish an independent Palestinian state.
Wang Yi added that China would work to "end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible, alleviate the humanitarian crisis, and encourage an early, comprehensive, just, and lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue." China's special envoy to the Middle East, Chai Jiyun, communicated last year with officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League, and the European Union to discuss the two-state solution and the recognition of Palestine at the United Nations.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki stated, "We came to Beijing to discuss the brutal crimes committed by the Israelis against the Palestinian people." He emphasized that Israel is calling for the liquidation of the Palestinians and the usurpation of their rights, which violates the two-state solution. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry, in statements published by the ministry's spokesperson on X platform, said, "We look forward to a stronger role from major powers like China in stopping the aggressions against the Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, major countries provide cover for current Israeli aggressions."
The ministerial committee, which includes the Saudi Foreign Minister, the Jordanian and Palestinian Foreign Ministers, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, arrived in Beijing earlier today to formulate international action to stop the Israeli war on Gaza. The delegation's tour also aims to "take deterrent measures to stop the crimes of the colonial occupation authorities and hold them accountable for their crimes in Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank," according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. Additionally, the committee seeks to secure urgent relief corridors, launch a serious political process, and pressure for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
