Gulf Bloc Warns Against Expanding Israeli Aggression On Gaza

NEW YORK, Aug 11 (Bernama-QNA) -- Kuwait warned that Israel's decision to fully invade the Gaza Strip and impose total control marks a new phase of genocide and poses a direct threat to the lives of more than two million Palestinians, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The move, it stressed, also dismantles prospects for achieving a two-state solution.

This statement, presented on behalf of the Gulf Bloc, was delivered during an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council held on Sunday to address the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue.

Reaffirming the Gulf Bloc's principled and unwavering stance in support of the Palestinian cause and rejection of all forms of occupation and settlement, Kuwait expressed deep concern and strong condemnation of Israel's decision. The statement called it a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter.

Kuwait warned that any full-scale invasion of Gaza would not only harm the Palestinian people but would also destabilise the entire region, potentially plunging it into unprecedented violence and escalation. It held Israeli authorities fully responsible for such an outcome and said the international community would bear the consequences of its silence or failure to prevent it.

The Bloc called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to fulfil its legal, moral, and historical responsibilities. It described the repeated scenes of genocide unfolding before the world's eyes without decisive deterrence as a "dangerous failure" of the international system, one that threatens to strip the Council of its role and credibility.

The statement also emphasised that continued Israeli violations send a destructive message, that international law is applied selectively. It stressed the urgent need for concrete action to halt what it described as brutal aggression, ensure international protection for the Palestinian people, secure the safe and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid, support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and reject all attempts to undermine its role.

Kuwait praised the ongoing, tireless efforts led by Qatar and Egypt, in coordination with the United States, aimed at achieving an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, ending Israeli aggression, protecting civilians, facilitating the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and creating the conditions necessary for the return of displaced persons.

In this context, the statement reiterated the GCC's full support for these efforts and its commitment to strengthening coordination with relevant regional and international actors to break the cycle of violence and revive a serious political process that fulfils the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.

The Gulf bloc also strongly condemned Israel's continued violations in Jerusalem and the West Bank, including settlement expansion, forced evictions and displacements, repeated incursions into Islamic and Christian holy sites, and attempts to alter the existing historical and legal status quo. 

-- BERNAMA-QNA