Riyadh Summit on Middle East Crisis

(Patria) - Leaders of Arab and Muslim countries began arriving in Saudi Arabia yesterday for a summit officially starting today, which will focus on Israeli wars in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon.

Participants will discuss at a joint summit of the Arab League, a pan-Arab organization comprising 22 countries, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a pan-Islamic organization comprising more than 50 Muslim states, the "continuation of Israeli aggression on Palestinian territory and on Lebanon" and regional developments, the Saudi agency SPA announced yesterday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, as early as the end of October, invited members of the new "international alliance" to hold this summit in Riyadh, aiming to encourage the creation of a Palestinian state.

Today's meeting will be held one year after a similar summit of the Arab League, headquartered in Cairo, and the OIC, headquartered in Jeddah, when Arab and Muslim leaders condemned the "barbaric" operations and actions of Israeli forces in Gaza.

The OIC and the Arab League consist of countries that recognize Israel and others that strongly oppose its regional integration.

Last year's summit was marked by differences regarding measures to be taken, such as severing economic and diplomatic ties with Israel.

The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians.

In the Israeli retaliation in the Palestinian territory, more than 43,600 people have been killed, mostly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health of the Hamas government for Gaza.

However, the war has since expanded to Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting an air strike campaign against Hezbollah since the end of September, as well as a ground offensive in the south of the country.