Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Israeli war on Gaza

ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia and Iran held talks on Thursday on the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which left nearly 24,500 people dead.

Saudi state news agency SPA said Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian bilateral relations and a host of issues of mutual concern.

The discussions dwelt on the current developments in the Gaza Strip “and the need from the international community to shoulder its responsibility towards achieving an immediate cease-fire and protecting civilians," SPA said.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 24,448 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 61,504 others injured, according to local health authorities.

According to the UN, around 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught, while all of them are food insecure. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and ⁠less than half of aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar