ANTALYA: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said on Friday aid entry to Gaza cannot be linked to a ceasefire.
Prince Faisal also said the international community must pressure the Israeli government to allow aid deliveries to Gaza.
The Saudi minister was speaking at a joint press conference in Antalya following a meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on a Gaza ceasefire, which discussed developments in the enclave, as well as efforts to achieve an immediate and sustainable ceasefire.
The meeting also emphasized the need for efforts to continue to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inherent rights.
Prince Faisal said any displacement of Palestinians was categorically rejected. He added that the Kingdom appreciated the efforts of Egypt and Qatar in the ceasefire negotiations.
“We categorically reject any proposal related to the displacement of Palestinians from their land, this applies to all forms of displacement, he said.
“There are some who attempt to describe certain types of Palestinian departures as "voluntary," but you cannot speak of voluntary departure while Palestinians in Gaza are being deprived of the most basic necessities of life.
“If aid is not getting in, if people are unable to find food, water, or electricity, and if they are under constant threat of military bombardment — then even if someone is forced to leave, this is not a voluntary departure. This is a form of coercion,” he added.
He also said that any proposal that tried to frame the departure of Palestinians — or what is called “allowing the opportunity” for voluntary departure under these circumstances — was “simply a distortion of the truth.”
He continued: “The reality is that Palestinians in Gaza are being deprived of the most basic requirements for life. That’s why we must continue to clarify this reality, work consistently, and we hope this message is clear to everyone, especially within the framework of the action plan we agreed upon today in the committee.”
The minister also condemned Israeli violations of international law in the West Bank, including settlement expansion, home demolitions, and land seizures.
