Saudi-African Summit seeks international intervention to stop war on Gaza

CAIRO, Egypt

The Saudi-African summit on Friday called for an end to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and urged international intervention.

Following the summit's conclusion, the "Riyadh Declaration - Roadmap of Saudi-African Cooperation" was issued, describing the summit as an "important historical turning point in the relations of African countries with the Kingdom."

Concerning the situation in Palestine, the leaders at the summit expressed "deep concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza."

They stressed the necessity of stopping “military operations in the occupied Palestinian territories."

They also emphasized the necessity of the international community's responsibility in urging Israel to stop the attacks and forcible displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

The officials also stressed "the necessity of allowing international humanitarian organizations to be empowered to carry out their role in providing humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinian people."

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 11,078 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi