China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia called on Friday for an “immediate ceasefire” and the flow of “a sustainable relief to Palestinians”, Anadolu news agency reported.
The call was made in a joint statement during a meeting with the deputy foreign ministers of the three countries in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The meeting was held to follow up on the reconciliation agreement, known as the Beijing Agreement, between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
🚨PALESTINE CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT:
🔴 Five Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli bombing of the Sharab family’s house inside the Al-Manara neighborhood in Khan Yunis.
🔴The bodies of two female martyrs were recovered from under the rubble of the Shehadeh… pic.twitter.com/dKs0MytnVv
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 16, 2023
The statement said the three officials “expressed concern about the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip as a threat to regional and international peace and security.”
They also categorically rejected any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands, the statement noted.
The Deputy Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran met in Beijing – China
🇸🇦🤝🇨🇳🤝🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/LViNOOW5ds
— 🇷🇺 Эсса Али 🆉 Essa Ali 🇦🇪 (@ESSA_A1I) December 16, 2023
The three countries also stressed “that any arrangement regarding the future of Palestine must reflect the will of the Palestinian people, supporting their right to establish their own State and determine their destiny.”
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 18,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 51,000 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7. Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
(PC, MEMO)
