Riyadh, November 11, 2024 – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking at the second Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh, denounced Israel’s continued aggression against Palestinians, describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as “beyond imagination.”
In his address, the prime minister highlighted the dire conditions in Gaza, stating, “The occupied Palestinian territories, like Gaza, have fallen into darkness and despair.” He condemned the widespread destruction, pointing out that hospitals are being bombed, and mothers are seen holding the lifeless bodies of their infants. He stated that these actions amount to genocide against the Palestinian people.
PM Shehbaz called on the summit to demand accountability for Israel’s alleged war crimes in Gaza, where over 40,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have reportedly lost their lives in the ongoing strikes. He urged the forum to press for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” and to impose an arms embargo on Israel.
He further criticized the global community’s lack of response, saying this inaction has emboldened Israel’s actions against Palestinians.
Earlier in the summit, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also called for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. Opening the session, he urged the international community to “immediately halt the Israeli actions against our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon,” condemning Israel’s operations in Gaza as “genocide.”