In Washington, Saudi defense minister stresses need for ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a meeting with a senior US official on Monday.

The call comes as the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave deteriorates as Israel conducts a large military campaign against Hamas.

Meeting Jake Sullivan, the US national security advisor, Prince Khalid reaffirmed the Kingdom’s call to bring the fighting to a halt.

“I stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protection of civilians, allowing humanitarian aid, and resuming the peace process,” Prince Khalid wrote on X after the meeting.

The pair affirmed “the urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza,” according to a readout issued by the White House, adding they emphasized the need to find a sustainable peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, building on Saudi-US efforts over recent months.

The Israeli military began moving ground troops into Gaza over the weekend, supported by air cover, amid calls to stop the fighting to allow humanitarian access and to prevent further bloodshed.

Israeli leaders have vowed to destroy Hamas after the group waged a multipronged attack inside Israel killing over 1,400, mostly civilians. Israel has spent weeks bombarding the heavily populated Gaza Strip leaving over 8,000 people, mostly civilians, dead.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected ceasefire calls on Monday, and announced the expansion of ground operations. He promised that Israel will “fight until this battle is won”.

The head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, told the Security Council that “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” and accused Israel of collectively punishing Gazans.

Last week, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Joe Biden shared a call on the situation in Gaza. The crown prince called on the US to work immediately to discuss ways to stop the Israeli military operations that have claimed innocent lives.

Prince Khalid and Sullivan also “affirmed the importance of deterring any state or non-state actor from seeking to expand the conflict.”

Biden’s advisor welcomed Prince Khalid, who arrived in the US capital on Monday, and his accompanying delegation and discussed “ongoing efforts to strengthen the defense partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, which for decades has served as a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence”.

On Yemen, Prince Khalid wrote: “We also discussed the Kingdom’s efforts in Yemen to end the crisis and achieve peace.” The White House said: “Mr. Sullivan welcomed the significant de-escalation of the conflict over the past year and a half and endorsed Saudi-led efforts to bring the war to a close altogether.”