Arab Foreign Ministers call for a ceasefire

Arab FMs call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

Arab Foreign Ministers called for a ceasefire in Gaza on October 24, reports Reuters.

Officials from four Arab countries were present at the recent United Nations Security Council meeting in New York.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Al-Safadi, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki gathered for a press conference in the American city.

The Jordanian minister alarmingly said that the conflict between Israel and Gaza could spread to the West Bank and Lebanon, therefore stressing the need to stop the conflict.

Since Hamas’ shock assault on Israel from the blockaded Gaza Strip, 5,300 Palestinians have been murdered in an Israeli retaliation.

Israel rejected calls for a ceasefire and vowed to “destroy” Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The country’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said, “Tell me, what is a proportionate response for killing of babies, for rape of women and burn them, for beheading a child? How can you agree to a ceasefire with someone who swore to kill and destroy your own existence?”.

Israel has also cut food, water, fuel, electricity, and medical supplies in Gaza since the Hamas attack earlier this month, a breach of international law.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister also said that he believed that Israel think they are above international law.

Cohen told the world body’s Security Council that the best response to the October 7 attack is “a total destruction to the last one of the Hamas,” dubbing the group “the new Nazis.” and adding “It is not only Israel’s right to destroy Hamas. It’s our duty.”

Despite British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging for a pause in the Hamas-Israel conflict on October 25, similarly to Israel he refused to endorse calls for a ceasefire.

The Conservative Party leader said, “We recognise for all of that to happen there has to be a safer environment, which of course necessitates specific pauses, as distinct from a ceasefire, and we discussed this with partners yesterday evening at the United Nations,”.

Reuters