Gaza situation ‘catastrophic by every measure,’ top Saudi diplomat says

The situation in Gaza is “catastrophic by every measure,” highlighting the failure of the international security mechanism, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday.

Prince Faisal was speaking during a panel discussion at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

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He said the Kingdom was hopeful about a ceasefire before the possible expansion of the conflict into Rafah – an expected Israeli move that the Palestinian president, earlier on Sunday, said could unfold in the “next few days.”

A military move into Rafah could once again displace hundreds of thousands of Gazans who evacuated to the area as Israeli troops destroyed most other areas in the Strip as part of a war against the Hamas militant group.

Currently, much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and more than 34,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the war instigated by the Iran-backed Hamas militant group last October. The militant attack led to the death of around 1,200 Israelis with more than a 100 still held hostage in Gaza.

“One of the frustrations that we have … is that the international mechanisms of security have not worked even on something as basic as humanitarian access,” Prince Faisal said, referring to the “unending discussion of whether or not enough [aid] trucks are getting into Gaza.”

“The situation is dire and there is potential for it to become even worse,” the top Saudi diplomat added.

Prince Faisal reiterated the need for a two-state solution, calling it “the only reasonable and credible solution” that guarantees a non-repeat of the crisis.

The Kingdom is reportedly in talks with “partners,” including Europe, to “move from talk to action to concrete steps.”

“It can’t be left up to the warring parties,” the Saudi foreign minister added.

“It is in everybody’s interest in the region – our interest, interest of the Palestinians, interest of the Israelis, interest of the global community of nations – that we find a pathway to resolve this issue once and for all,” the foreign minister said, adding: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will do everything it can to push in that direction,” he concluded.

Global power redistribution

EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who was on the same panel as Prince Faisal, pointed at a global power redistribution to be the reason behind all recent conflicts.

“More [independent] actors, less rules, more disorder,” Borrell said.

The EU official also warned of a the rising “war of narratives” over a war fought with weapons in the traditional sense.

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However, in the latter cases, “the only solution is to share land,” Borrell said, regarding the war in Gaza. He also clarified that Europe has not blocked initiatives linked to the Israeli war in the Strip.

The EU has routinely called for more humanitarian aid, pushed for Palestinian statehood and has backed some inquiries into reported Israeli wrongdoings.

The Gaza war is a highly discussed topic at the WEF summit, even as official negotiations are underway elsewhere between Israel, Qatar and Egypt.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to arrive in Riyadh as the administration of US President Joe Biden continues its efforts to resolve the crisis.

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