ISTANBUL

Arab countries on Tuesday called for the immediate cessation of Israel’s "genocidal war” in the Gaza Strip, now nearing its second year.

Kuwait’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, delivered a statement on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during an open session of the UN Security Council held to address the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue.

Sabah underlined that the meeting was taking place amid one of the darkest chapters of the Gaza tragedy, which has persisted for nearly two years.

He pointed out the dire conditions faced by the defenseless Palestinian population, suffering under a suffocating and unjust blockade, large-scale destruction, and the loss of over 60,000 innocent civilians, the majority of whom are women and children.

Calling the situation in Gaza "a living example of genocide and ethnic cleansing, a gaping wound that cannot be ignored," he urged the Council to act swiftly by putting an end to the aggression, ensuring urgent humanitarian access, and backing its statements with practical measures to protect civilians.

Egypt’s permanent representative to the UN, Osama Abdelkhalek, stated that Egypt has consistently avoided escalation despite numerous provocations from Israel, out of its belief in the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza.

He criticized Israel’s "stubborn insistence" on continuing the war, stressing that ending the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has become an absolute necessity.

“Palestinians are not subhuman. We deserve life, freedom, and dignity. The atrocities committed by Israel against our people in Gaza cannot be justified under any circumstance," Palestine’s UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said.

Mansour added that Palestinians and Israelis must not be condemned to endless war.

“No genocide, no theft, no forced displacement, no colonization, no annexation, no occupation -- save Gaza. Save Palestine. Save peace," he added..

“What is happening in Gaza is unprecedented in its brutality and savagery. But the goals are clear: to destroy Palestinian society and render the entire territory uninhabitable, forcing the population to flee beyond the borders of the Gaza Strip," Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said.

He warned that surrendering to a ruthless and insane plan would severely undermine the legitimacy of the Security Council and weaken its role in maintaining international peace and security.

Aboul Gheit warned that what is happening in Gaza will not stay in Gaza, and called for the Council to take morally sound and practical action to stop the war.

“The time has come for the Council to make the right decision. Let’s end the war today, not tomorrow, and begin rebuilding Gaza and restoring childhood to its children," he said.