GCC-Russia Ministers Call for Gaza Ceasefire

The 7th GCC-Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue took place in Riyadh with Foreign ministers and officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Russia's Lavrov.

During the meeting, Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, expressed concern about the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calling for international pressure to enforce a ceasefire and begin a comprehensive political process. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov echoed these concerns, highlighting the unprecedented escalation of violence since October and the large number of casualties.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed that joint cooperation between GCC and Russia has helped develop relations and coordinate stances on common causes. 

He hailed the continued strategic dialogue and coordination between the two sides on various issues. 

He made his remarks at the GCC-Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue in Riyadh.  

Al Thani noted the growing escalation in the region and unjustified violence as the suffering of the Palestinian people deepens.

Ending the war on Gaza is the first step in easing the tensions in the region and paving the way for permanent peace in the area, he remarked. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said cooperation between his country and the GCC was a priority for Russia’s foreign policy. 

He stressed that it was “impossible” to achieve peace in the Middle East without resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 

The international community “has failed in stopping the Israeli aggression and genocide in Gaza,” he added, describing the violence against the Palestinians as “unprecedented” in Arab-Israeli wars. 

Moreover, he held the United States primarily responsible for obstructing all international resolutions aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.