Saudi Arabia says Israel's humanitarian aid blockade in Gaza amounts to ‘war crime’

CAIRO

Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is a “war crime” and a “humanitarian catastrophe, according to Saudi state channel, Al-Ikhbariya.

The failure to reach a cease-fire in Gaza for nearly a year is evidence of the “repeated failure of the international security system,” Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said at a news conference in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty.

Bin Farhan criticized Israel's intransigence and refusal to agree to a cease-fire.

He also stressed the need to reevaluate the entire international security system, emphasizing that “the recognition of a Palestinian state by certain countries sends a clear message, rejecting the denial of Palestinians' rights to self-determination.”

“We are calling for the implementation of international law, not something impossible,” said bin Farhan.

The Israeli onslaught has killed more than 41,000 victims, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 95,000, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio