Saudi crown prince says Israel committing 'genocide' in Gaza

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has strongly criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, labeling them as "genocide." This marks one of the most severe public denunciations of Israel by a Saudi official since the conflict began.

During a summit with Muslim and Arab leaders, the prince expressed his disapproval of the Israeli assaults on Lebanon and Iran.

Israel has strongly rejected accusations that its military is engaging in acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

In a gesture indicating better relations between the competing nations of Riyadh and Tehran, Prince Mohammed also cautioned Israel about conducting strikes within Iran's borders.

The actual leader of Saudi Arabia was accompanied by other leaders who also urged for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister stated that it’s a “shortcoming of the global community” that the conflict in Gaza continues, pointing fingers at Israel for contributing to hunger in the region.

Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud remarked, "The main shortcoming of the international community has been its inability to stop the ongoing conflict and put a halt to Israel's acts of aggression."

The conflict in Gaza began with Hamas's assault on October 7, 2023, when numerous armed fighters infiltrated southern Israel. This attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals, while 251 others were captured and taken hostage.

Israel responded by initiating a military operation aimed at eliminating Hamas. According to the health ministry managed by Hamas, this conflict has resulted in over 43,400 fatalities in Gaza.

A report from the UN’s Human Rights Office revealed that nearly 70% of confirmed victims in Gaza over a six-month span were women and children.

Leaders at the summit also criticized what they referred to as Israel's ongoing assaults on UN personnel and locations in Gaza.

Last month, the Israeli parliament approved legislation to prohibit the UN Palestinian refugee agency, known as Unrwa, from functioning in Israel and East Jerusalem, which is under occupation. The government alleged that the agency was cooperating with Hamas.

Many nations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have voiced significant worries regarding the decision that restricts the agency's capacity to provide assistance to Gaza.

Amid the highly attended summit, Donald Trump is making a comeback to the White House.

Gulf leaders recognize his strong ties with Israel, yet they maintain positive relationships with him. They hope he will leverage his connections and passion for negotiation to help bring an end to the ongoing conflicts in the region.

In Saudi Arabia, Donald Trump is generally regarded more positively than Joe Biden, though his history in the Middle East is somewhat varied.

He won over Israel while provoking anger in the Muslim world by acknowledging Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and endorsing the annexation of the captured Golan Heights. Additionally, he achieved the Abraham Accords in 2020, leading to the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, with Sudan also agreeing to follow suit.

Today, a prominent Saudi newspaper features an editorial with the headline: “A Fresh Era of Optimism: Trump's Comeback and the Assurance of Consistency.”