Hamas urges Arab-Islamic summit to stop ‘aggression’ on Gaza

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian Hamas movement called on the leaders of the Arab and Islamic nations meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday to take a “historic decision” to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza “immediately.”

In a statement, the movement also called for the formation of medical, humanitarian, relief, and parliamentary committees “to immediately go to the Egyptian-Palestinian Rafah crossing, and challenge the Zionist occupation.”

Hamas stressed the necessity of bringing in medicines, food, fuel, and relief materials “to save all hospitals in the Gaza Strip before they turn into mass graves and massacres that shame humanity.”

The movement called on the leaders meeting in Riyadh to "employ all Arab and Islamic power to implement this, by putting pressure on the American administration, which bears direct responsibility for the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip."

An emergency joint Arab-Islamic summit kicked off on Saturday in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the “dangerous developments” taking place in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 11,078 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi