Saudi Crown Prince says targeting civilians in Gaza ‘heinous crime and brutal attack’

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday strongly condemned the targeting of civilians in Gaza, describing it as a “heinous crime and a brutal attack,” the Suadi Press Agency reported.

During a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Riyadh, the Crown Prince emphasized the need to work toward safeguarding the lives of civilians in Gaza, SPA said.

A recent strike on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which killed hundreds of Palestinians, has prompted global outrage, particularly in the Arab world. While Palestinians said it was an Israeli airstrike, Israel attributed it to a failed rocket launch by Palestinian militants, a view supported by the US.

Many Arab countries, however, blamed Israel for the incident.

MBS stressed the importance of making every possible effort to de-escalate the situation and prevent the spread of violence in order to avoid the dangerous repercussions on security and peace in the region and beyond, according to SPA.

He also emphasized the importance of creating conditions for “the return of stability and the restoration of the path of peace in a way that ensures that the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights,” SPA added.

Downing Street said Sunak “encouraged the Crown Prince to use Saudi’s leadership in the region to support stability, both now and in the long-term.”

Sunak was in Israel earlier on Thursday where he expressed strong backing for Israeli action after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. He also emphasized the importance of delivering humanitarian assistance, including food, water, and medicine, to the blockaded Gaza Strip’s population of 2.4 million.

The latest escalation began when Hamas militants crossed into Israel from its southern border on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people. In response, Israel has targeted Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, killing more than 3,700 people.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday hinted that a ground invasion to destroy Hamas was nearing, telling troops gathered at the Gaza border that they will soon see the Palestinian enclave “from inside.”