Arab, Islamic team urges Washington to reverse opposition to Gaza ceasefire

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- A joint delegation of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation called on the US to change its mind regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli occupation forces have killed over 17,000 Palestinians and injured at least 46,000 others.
This came during a press conference held by the delegation late Friday ahead of a meeting at the US Department of State to look into how to halt the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian territory.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan underlined the need to stop immediately the ongoing aggression on Gaza, regretting that the international community does not give priority to this matter.
He also stressed that there should be a reliable roadmap for establishing a Palestinian state, urging Washington to exert more effort to shore up a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave.
The Saudi foreign minister also called for an immediate increase in humanitarian and relief aid to the population of Gaza.
Following the press conference, US Secretary Antony Blinken met with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in advance of his meeting with the broader Arab and Islamic delegation.
They reiterated the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and committed to continuing close coordination on ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe return of all remaining prisoners while sustaining humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. (end) rsr.mt