The GCC-ASEAN Riyadh Summit kicked off on October 20, with discussions on the current conflict between Hamas and Israel at the top of the agenda. SAUDI ARABIA FOREIGN MINISTRY
The world leaders attending the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have condemned all attacks against civilians, as fighting between Hamas and Israel continued.
In a joint statement released minutes ago, the ASEAN-GCC leaders announced that they had exchanged views and expressed grave concerns over the developments in the Middle East.
The leaders of the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, including Prime Minister Hun Manet, are meeting today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The forum is aimed at enhancing partnership and exchange views on matters of mutual interest and concern.
They called for a lasting ceasefire and for all concerned parties to ensure the most effective and efficient access for humanitarian aid, relief supplies and other basic necessities and essential services. They also appealed for the restoration of electricity and water, and called for the unhindered delivery of fuel, food, and medicine throughout Gaza.
“We call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, refrain from targeting them and to abide by international humanitarian law, particularly the principles and provisions of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949,” the statement said.
The international media has reported that many civilians are being held hostage or detained by Hamas, prompting the ASEAN-GCC to call for their immediate and unconditional release, especially women, children, the sick and the elderly.
Since Hamas launched their attacks on October 7, it has been reported that as many as 1,400 Israelis have been killed. 3,700 people have been killed in Gaza, with 1,000 more presumed buried under the rubble, with a further one million Palestinians – half of them children – reportedly displaced.
They also called for all parties concerned to work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict with a view to realising the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders in accordance with international law and the relevant UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
The statement said that the leaders of the two blocs supported an initiative to revive the Middle East peace process proposed by Saudi Arabia, the EU and the League of Arab States. This review should be carried out in cooperation with Egypt and Jordan, and resolve the dispute between Israel and its neighbours in accordance with international law and all UN resolutions on this conflict.
