Washington [US], October 25 : US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the conflict between Israel and Hamas during a phone call, the White House said on Tuesday.
The two leaders spoke about "ongoing diplomatic and military efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict" and agreed to pursue "broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding," according to the White House.
The two also affirmed the importance of working towards a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians as soon as the crisis subsides, "building on" the work that was already underway between Saudi Arabia and the United States over recent months before the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Biden and Mohammed bin Salman "affirmed the importance of working toward a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians as soon as the crisis subsides, building on the work that was already underway between Saudi Arabia and the United States over recent months," the White House readout said.
Both leaders "welcomed ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and called for their immediate release," it said.
They welcomed the delivery of humanitarian assistance from Egypt into Gaza and recognized that much more is needed for civilians to have sustained access to food, water, and medical assistance.
The Palestine terror organisation Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel earlier this month, and Israel responded with strikes against Gaza. According to the latest figures shared by the United Nations, the death toll is said to have surpassed 5,000 in Gaza and reached 1,400 in Israel, the Hill reported.
Biden hailed "the Gulf Cooperation Council's contribution of US 100 million to support these humanitarian efforts, and discussed the disbursement of US 100 million from the United States to support the response."
The US President had suggested Friday that the Hamas attack on Israel was related to a normalization push and increased diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
"One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis," Biden said during remarks at a campaign fundraiser. "Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel," he said as cited in the US daily The Hill.
Meanwhile, in a press readout released by the Saudi officials, Mohammed bin Salman during the conversation with Biden called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, rejecting the targeting of civilians or targeting infrastructure and vital interests that affect their daily lives or forced displacement.
According to official Saudi Press Agency, MBS urged resuming the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and Biden thanked him for his efforts to prevent regional escalation, the readout said.
During the call, Biden thanked Mohammed bin Salman for his "efforts to reduce the pace of escalation and prevent it from expanding in the region."
The Abraham Accords were formalised in the year 2020 with the United States under the administration of Donald Trump mediating an agreement between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel, promising to normalise ties between these Arab Gulf states and Israel.
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