RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers regretted the failure of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a resolution aiming at ending the Zionist occupation aggression on Gaza. This came in a letter sent by Omani Foreign Minister and President of the Current Session of the GCC Ministerial Council Bader Al-Busaidi to Brazil’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Sergeo Danese, whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the UNSC.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi said the letter covered a recently announced GCC pledge worth $100 million to offer relief aid to the Gaza Strip. He voiced the council’s willingness to continue working with the UNSC to adopt a resolution that would put an end to international resolutions, treaties, and laws, including UNSC Resolution 242/338, which reflects international consensus on the bi-state solution.

He quoted the GCC foreign ministers as having expressed readiness to meet with Brazil’s permanent representative and UNSC members in New York in this regard. He also quoted him as having underlined the necessity of ceasing hostilities, observing international law and international humanitarian law, and immediately releasing hostages and detainees.

Meanwhile, the Arab League, the Arab Crescent Organization, and the Red Cross revealed on Sunday a broad Arab response to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip, praising the efforts of Arab countries in this framework to help Palestinians. This came at a joint press conference held by the assistant secretary general for social affairs at the university, Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, with the secretary general of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross organization, Saleh Al-Tuwaijri, to discuss how to provide humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.

Abu Ghazaleh said that the Arab League is in contact with international organizations to try to find a way out and an outlet to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip, expressing appreciation for the efforts of Arab countries and Egypt. Abu Ghazaleh called on all Arabs to respond to the donation campaigns launched by the Red Crescent and Red Cross societies in the member states to support Palestinians.

She pointed to the efforts made by the league to disseminate the needs of Palestine to the member states, pointing to moves with the Egyptian Ministry of Health to provide the support previously announced by the Council of Arab Health Ministers, which is estimated at half a million dollars of medicines. She expressed hope that this aid will enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, noting that the entry of relief materials was stopped after the Zionist occupation allowed the entry of 20 aid trucks.

The estimated number of Palestinians displaced as a result of shelling and supply cuts in Gaza is one million, in addition to the 513,000 who took refuge in the facilities of the United Nations Relief and Works Organization for Palestine refugees (UNRWA). The shelling of the occupation forces has killed about 4,733 martyrs, in addition to other martyrs under the rubble, 600 missing children, and more than 15,000 injured.

According to UN statistics, about 70 percent of the number of martyrs in the Gaza Strip are children, women, and the elderly. The Gaza Strip is suffering for the 16th consecutive day of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster as a result of the escalation and the blockade imposed by the unjust and inhumane Zionist occupation, cutting off electricity, water, and fuel and preventing relief and humanitarian supplies to civilians. — KUNA