logo
GCC demands immediate international action to end Israel's blockade of Gaza

GCC demands immediate international action to end Israel's blockade of Gaza

Kuwait Times4 days ago
GAZA: A Palestinian boy makes his way to receive a portion of hot food distributed by a charity kitchen at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 15, 2025. - AFP
RIYADH: The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi strongly condemned on Monday the ongoing inhumane and illegal blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on Gaza, and the prevention of humanitarian aid from entering the territory.
In an official statement, Al-Budaiwi described the siege and its resulting humanitarian catastrophe - characterized by the spread of starvation and the depletion of food and medical supplies - as a violation of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and fundamental human rights principles.
He emphasized that the blockade constitutes a direct challenge to the international community and affirmed that the GCC holds the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, including what he described as a deliberate policy of collective starvation - a practice that constitutes a war crime requiring urgent international accountability.
Al-Budaiwi urged the international community, including all governments, institutions, and organizations, to take immediate and serious action to end the brutal blockade, halt the killing and starvation, ensure the swift entry of humanitarian aid, reopen border crossings without delay, and save the lives of innocent civilians from a looming catastrophe.
He reiterated the GCC's firm position in support of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights - the right to a dignified life, freedom, self-determination, and the achievement of a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative. - KUNA
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lebanese militant back home after 40 years in French jail
Lebanese militant back home after 40 years in French jail

Kuwait Times

timean hour ago

  • Kuwait Times

Lebanese militant back home after 40 years in French jail

KOBAYAT: Lebanese army soldiers stand guard as pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, 74, prepares to give a press conference upon his arrival in his village of Kobayat in Lebanon's northern Akkar region on July 25, 2025, after serving more than 40 years in jail in France. – AFP KOBAYAT: One of France's longest-held inmates, the pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, arrived in his hometown on Friday, having been released after more than 40 years behind bars for the killings of two diplomats. AFP journalists saw a convoy leaving the Lannemezan prison in southwest France, and hours later, the 74-year-old was placed on a plane and deported back to Lebanon, to be welcomed by family members on his return to Beirut at the airport's VIP lounge. Back in his hometown of Kobayat, near the Syrian border in north Lebanon, hundreds of men, women and children gathered to welcome Abdallah. 'Whether or not we agree with his ideas... we first and foremost salute the man,' lawmaker Jimmy Jabbour, who is from the area, told AFP, hailing Abdallah's 'perseverance'. 'The whole village is happy that he's back... 41 years in prison, others would have probably lost their minds,' said Kobayat resident Claudette Tannous, 68. Earlier at Beirut airport, an AFP correspondent said dozens of supporters, some waving Palestinian or Lebanese Communist Party flags, gathered near the arrivals hall to give him a hero's reception. In his first public address after being released, Abdallah took aim at ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, where human rights organizations have warned of mass starvation. 'The children of Palestine are dying of hunger while millions of Arabs watch,' he said. 'Resistance must continue and intensify,' added the former schoolteacher. There was no official comment on his return from the Lebanese government. Abdallah was detained in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for his involvement in the murders of US military attache Charles Robert Ray and Zionist diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris. 'Past symbol' The Paris Court of Appeal had ordered his release 'effective July 25' on the condition that he leave French territory and never return. While he had been eligible for release since 1999, his previous requests were denied with the United States—a civil party to the case—consistently opposing his leaving prison. Inmates serving life sentences in France are typically freed after fewer than 30 years. Abdallah's lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, visited him for a final time on Thursday. 'He seemed very happy about his upcoming release, even though he knows he is returning to the Middle East in an extremely tough context for Lebanese and Palestinian populations,' Chalanset told AFP. The charge d'affaires of the Lebanese Embassy in Paris, Ziad Taan, who saw Georges Abdallah before his departure, told AFP that he was 'well, in good health, very happy to return to Lebanon to his family and to regain his freedom'. AFP visited Abdallah last week after the court's release decision, accompanying a lawmaker to the detention center. The founder of the Lebanese Revolutionary Armed Factions (FARL) - a long-disbanded Marxist anti-Zionist group—said for more than four decades he had continued to be a 'militant with a struggle'. After his arrest in 1984, French police discovered submachine guns and transceiver stations in one of his Paris apartments. The appeals court in February noted that the FARL 'had not committed a violent action since 1984' and that Abdallah 'today represented a past symbol of the Palestinian struggle'. The appeals judges also found the length of his detention 'disproportionate' to his crimes, and pointed to his age. — AFP

Saudi announces $6.4 billion in Syria investments
Saudi announces $6.4 billion in Syria investments

Kuwait Times

time4 hours ago

  • Kuwait Times

Saudi announces $6.4 billion in Syria investments

DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia's Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih (center left) and his delegation being received at Damascus International Airport on July 23, 2025. -- AFP DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia announced $6.4 billion of investments in Syria on Thursday, reflecting the kingdom's deepening ties with interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's government as it seeks to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war. The deals, unveiled by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih at a Damascus forum, are a major financial boost for Sharaa as he struggles to establish control over Syria, which was rocked this month by sectarian violence in the southwest. Al-Falih said his visit to Syria had been ordered by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, calling the trip 'confirmation of the kingdom's firm and supportive stance towards sisterly Syria'. The investment deals included $2.93 billion for real estate and infrastructure projects and about $1.07 billion for the telecommunications and information technology sector, Al-Falih said. Businesses involved in the plans include telecommunications firms the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and GO Telecom, digital security company Elm, cybersecurity firm Cipher, and Classera, an education technology company. Al-Falih said 47 agreements would be signed over the course of the conference, with more than 100 companies participating. Al-Falih also announced the establishment of a Saudi-Syrian Business Council at the event, which had been scheduled for June but was delayed due to the conflict between Iran and Zionist entity. Riyadh has been a key ally of Sharaa's government, which came to power after longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December, using its diplomatic influence to persuade US President Donald Trump to lift sanctions. Companies, many from Gulf states and Turkey, have expressed interest in rebuilding Syria's power generation capacity, roads, ports and other damaged infrastructure. Syria has signed a $7-billion power deal with Qatar and an $800-million agreement with UAE-based port company DP World in recent months. US energy firms are also set to draw up a master plan for the country's energy sector. In April, Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced they would pay off Syria's World Bank arrears, opening up the possibility of new lending. – Reuters

KUNA Chief highlights Kuwait's leadership in media, culture
KUNA Chief highlights Kuwait's leadership in media, culture

Kuwait Times

time9 hours ago

  • Kuwait Times

KUNA Chief highlights Kuwait's leadership in media, culture

ZHENGZHOU, China: KUNA Acting Director General Mohammad Al-Mannai highlighted on Friday Kuwait's leadership in media, culture, and peaceful coexistence, emphasizing the country's commitment to dialogue and building international bridges. Al-Mannai's statement came during his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit held in Zhengzhou city, China. Al-Mannai said that the summit represented a unique opportunity to formulate shared visions that consolidate the role of media in shaping enlightened awareness and guiding public policies. He called for unified media efforts to address current and future challenges and emphasized the need for cultural dialogue and shared media bridges to enhance global understanding. He also highlighted the shift from traditional media to digital platforms, calling for sharing the experiences and exploration of AI to enhance content and user experience. KUNA Acting Director General Mohammad Al-Mannai and (right) Acting Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Al-Bahar, during Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit held in Zhengzhou city, China. Al-Mannai renewed Arab institutions' commitment to cooperate, strengthen partnerships, and turn shared interests and cultural intersections into opportunities for peace and development. He praised the large Arab participation in the summit, highlighting its significance in showcasing Arab media's pivotal role regionally and internationally. KUNA's Acting Director General commended the active participation and constructive proposals aimed at enhancing cooperation among SCO member states and promoting sustainable development through think tank exchanges. The SCO's Media and Think Tank Summit is held in preparation for the leaders' summit scheduled in Tianjin city on August 31 until September first. Apart from the acting director general, KUNA's delegation ALSO includes Acting Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Al-Bahar, in addition to Head of Marketing and Public Relations Lamia Al-Farsi. —KUNA

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store