RIYADH: The 159th regular session of the Foreign Ministerial Council was held on March 3 at the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh.

Joint ministerial meetings between the GCC countries and Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan were held to further strengthen cooperation and discuss urgent matters related to besieged Gaza.

Jassim Al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC, said: “We gather today as we are faced with horrific scenes of what our brothers, the Palestinian people, are being subjected to in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

“We condemn all types of violence and indiscriminate bombing carried out by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip, in light of the … systematic destruction of civilian facilities and infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools and hospitals.”

The meetings highlighted the atrocities of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and in the destruction of infrastructure, cutting off vital resources and aid to the population.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan participated in the meetings, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.

The ministers stressed the importance of achieving an immediate ceasefire and ensuring the security of relief corridors for the delivery of humanitarian, food and medical aid.

They also discussed efforts to stop violations of international law, especially humanitarian law, in Gaza and to support the peace process in a way that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people to establish a state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that what is happening in Gaza is part of a systematic plan to annihilate Palestine, adding that “security solutions to the conflict have brought nothing but destruction to the region, and the escalation in Gaza (has) extended to the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab."

Ayman Safadi, Jordanian deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, said: “Our cooperation is a necessity … and our ability to confront common challenges increases whenever we work together as one.

“Today, the biggest challenge we face in the region is the brutal Israeli occupation of Gaza. We are all working together to stop this aggression and provide enough humanitarian aid to over 2,300,000 Palestinians facing famine.”

During the GCC’s meeting with Morocco, the council welcomed Morocco’s nomination for membership in the UN Security Council from 2028-2029.

The council also stressed the importance of strengthening its strategic partnership with Egypt through a memorandum of understanding signed on Feb. 24, 2022.

It affirmed that water security for Egypt and Sudan is an integral part of Arab national security and rejected any action that would affect their rights to the water in the Nile.

It declared its support for all endeavors that would contribute to resolving the Renaissance Dam issue, taking into account the interests of all parties. The council underscored the need to reach an agreement in this regard in accordance with the principles of international law and the stipulations contained in a Security Council statement issued on Sept. 15, 2021.