Saudi Arabia slams Israeli call for Gaza evacuation and condemns attacks on “defenceless civilians”

Saudi Arabia slammed the Israeli call for Gaza evacuation and attacks on defenceless civilians in a statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls for an immediate end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza.

As reported, Saudi Arabia has also suspended talks on potentially normalizing ties with Israel due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

In a week, the conflict continues to take a devastating toll on civilians, with nearly 1,800 Gazans killed, primarily civilians, including over 580 children.

A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed “categorical rejection” of the forced displacement of Palestinians and urged the international community to intervene to prevent further military escalation.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms its categorical rejection of calls for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza, and its condemnation of the continued targeting of defenseless civilians there,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.

The statement added that the deprivation of basic necessities for a decent life contravened international humanitarian law.

The Saudi statement arrived as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Riyadh as part of a six-nation tour of Arab countries.

“Saudi Arabia has decided to pause discussion on possible normalization and has informed US officials,” a source familiar with the discussions told AFP.

Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing to southern Gaza in search of refuge

On Friday, Israel’s military called for all civilians of Gaza City, more than one million people, to relocate south within 24 hours.

The development comes as the Israel Defense Forces are pounding the Gaza Strip from the air and are gearing up for a potential ground offensive with tanks and more than 300,000 reservists.

The Israeli military said it would operate “significantly” in Gaza City in the coming days and civilians would only be able to return when another announcement was made.

“Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields,” the military said in a statement.