Yesterday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that the situation in the Middle East has become akin to a "powder keg" on the verge of exploding. He highlighted the urgency of efforts to prevent the ignition of conflict across the region. In a statement, Guterres noted that military operations conducted by Israel are leading to widespread destruction and an unprecedented scale of human casualties.

Guterres stressed the immediate need for a humanitarian ceasefire to alleviate suffering in Gaza, ensuring the delivery of aid to those in need, and facilitating the release of hostages. He also criticized the repeated rejection of the two-state solution as "unacceptable," suggesting that the deprivation of the Palestinian people's rights will prolong a conflict that has become a serious threat to international peace and security.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a stance supported by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in a post on the "X" website.

On his part, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated that normalization with Israel cannot proceed without addressing the Palestinian issue. He added that "the establishment of a Palestinian state represents a consensus within the international community. The Europeans, Americans, and everyone agrees that the only way out of the cycle of violence is to move towards the path that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state."

In an interview with CNN, Bin Farhan insisted that "achieving real peace and stability, which provide economic and social benefits for everyone including Israel, can only come about through a credible and irreversible peace process to establish a Palestinian state."

Moreover, the Saudi Foreign Minister condemned the unjustified targeting of civilians in the Gaza Strip. He reported that the death toll there had risen to over 25,000 since the war began on October 7th of the previous year.