RIYADH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Friday condemned Israel's Gaza aid blockade and rejected forcing residents out of the enclave.
In a final statement issued by the GCC's Ministerial Council following its 163rd session held Thursday in the Saudi city of Mecca, the GCC member states affirmed their solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.
The Israeli aid blockade "constitutes a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention," read the statement published on the GCC's website, which urged the international community to "stop these grave Israeli violations, activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure sustainable access to aid."
The GCC countries also reject in the statement "any attempts to forcibly relocate residents of Gaza, as this constitutes a gross violation of international law and humanitarian principles," calling for global protection for the Palestinian population.
It is necessary to abide by the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas and halt the "Israeli aggression" on Gaza, the statement said.
The GCC countries support "the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all occupied Palestinian territories," it said, demanding urgent collective action be taken to achieve a lasting solution that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
According to the statement, the member states also commend and support the outcomes of the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine held recently in Egypt.
The GCC consists of six member states, namely the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait. ■
