Saudi Arabia is actively involved in efforts to mediate the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) conveyed this commitment to Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas during a conversation on Tuesday. This discussion occurred at a crucial time as the resistance group, Hamas, initiated a surprise attack on Tel Aviv, resulting in significant casualties.
Saudi media reports have indicated that the Crown Prince expressed his nation's solidarity with the Palestinian people. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia continues to support the Palestinians in their pursuit of legitimate rights for a better life, the realization of their hopes and dreams, and the establishment of a just and enduring peace.
Hamas launched their surprise attack early on Saturday, unleashing a barrage of rockets that caused the deaths of over 1,000 people in the occupied territory. In response, Israel implemented an unprecedented blockade on the Gaza Strip, including a ban on the supply of essential provisions like food and fuel to the beleaguered Palestinian population.
Israel's foreign ministry reported that at least 1,000 Israelis lost their lives in the conflict, while Palestine's health ministry indicated that the number of casualties among Palestinians had risen to 687.
The escalation of violence coincided with speculation that Saudi Arabia, a country that has never officially recognized Israel, might consider normalizing relations with Israel. Such a normalization could potentially involve security guarantees from the United States and support for Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program.
However, Crown Prince MBS, in a previous interview with Fox News, emphasized the significance of the Palestinian issue to Saudi Arabia and the need to alleviate the hardships faced by Palestinians.
Analysts now believe that the ongoing conflict has cast a significant shadow on any prospects for progress toward normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.