Arab and Islamic countries call the separation of Gaza and the West Bank unacceptable

The leaders of Arab and Muslim countries jointly issued a statement in which they called the separation of the gas sector and the West Bank unacceptable. The statement was published by the Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh on Saturday, RIA Novosti reports.

Leaders of Arab and Muslim countries say any such proposals should be rejected. In their opinion, a solution to Gaza is needed that provides for the unity of the land with the West Bank within the framework of an “independent, free, sovereign state”, the capital of which will be East Jerusalem. The borders of the state should be determined as of June 1967, the statement said.

On the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. At the same time, organized groups of Hamas fighters began to penetrate into Israeli territory, who easily overcame the first line of defense of the Israeli army, took hostages and caused serious damage. Israel later launched Operation Iron Swords, attacking the Gaza Strip and cutting off all supplies of water, food, electricity, medicine and fuel.

At the moment, the number of deaths from Israeli army strikes in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 10,800, including 20 Russian citizens, and the number of wounded has exceeded 26 thousand. In addition, Hamas militants may be holding up to 150 Israelis hostage. More than 1.4 thousand people died in Israel.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop all hostilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a resolution to this crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, that is, the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.