The Gulf Cooperation Council affirmed its support for Lebanon during such a “critical stage” and called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the council said late on Wednesday after holding an extraordinary ministerial meeting in Doha.
The meeting was held to discuss the latest regional developments.
The council condemned the escalation of conflict in Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories, calling on all involved parties to exercise self-restraint and refrain from violence, it added in a statement.
More than 1,900 people have been killed and over 9,000 wounded in Lebanon in almost a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah, with most of the deaths occurring in the past two weeks, according to Lebanese government statistics.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said on Thursday the crisis in the Middle East is a “collective genocide” and that his country has always warned of Israel’s “impunity”.
“It has become crystal clear that what is happening is genocide, in addition to turning the Gaza Strip into an area unfit for human habitation, in preparation for displacement,” he said during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha.
The Emir also condemned Israeli air strikes and military operations “against the brotherly Lebanese Republic”.
Israel strongly objects to accusations it is committing genocide in Gaza, where it launched an assault a year ago after Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli towns, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages. More than 41,500 Gazans have been killed during the Israeli assault, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run territory.