By Humeyra Pamuk ?nd Jonathan Landay
WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - ?here m?st b? an immediate end to the fighting ?n Gaza but governments worldwide ?o not seem to see it as a priority, Saudi Arabia'? foreign minister sa?d ?n Friday in Washington, adding t?at th?re must also b? a credible roadmap t? establish ? Palestinian state.
At a joint press conference ?efore meeting ?ith U.?. Secretary ?f ?tate Antony Blinken, a grou? ?f foreign ministers refused t? discuss in det?i? the future of Gaza, sa?ing t?? focus shou?d remain on stopping t?? fighting immediatel? ?n the Palestinian enclave bet?een Hamas militants ?nd th? Israeli military.
"Our message is consistent and clear that we believe that it is absolutely necessary to end the fighting immediately," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal ??n Farhan ?aid.
"One of the disturbing facts of this conflict is that ending the conflict and the fighting doesn't seem to be the main priority," for th? wo?ld, ?e said.
Humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza ne?ded t? be s?gnificantly increased, he said, adding that ?t is "unacceptable" that aid "is being restricted and has been restricted" ?ecause of "bureaucratic obstacles."
A U.N. Security Council vote ?n ? demand fo? an imm?diate humanitarian ceasefire ?n t?e Israel-Hamas ?a? wa? delayed ?y seve?al ?our? on ?riday unti? ?fter Blinken'? planned meeting ?ith Arab ministers and t?e foreign minister ?f Turkey.
?he Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee comprises ministers ?f Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Palestinian Authority ?nd Turkey.
The United St?tes - a veto-wielding power on the council - ha? ?aid it does not currently support furth?r action by t?e 15-member body on the conflict. T?e council last month c?lled for pauses in fighting to allow aid access.
?he United ?tates and Israel oppose ? ceasefire ?ecause they ?elieve it wo?ld ?nly benefit Hamas. Washington ?nstead supports pauses ?n fighting t? protect civilians ?nd al?ow t?? release ?f hostages taken by Hamas in a deadly Oct. 7 attack ?n Israel.
In response t? the attack, Israel has bombarded Gaza ?nd ?ent in troops in what it ?ays i? an operation to destroy Hamas.
Deputy U.?. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood t?ld the council that while the United St?te? strongly supports a durable peace ?n Gaza, "we do not support calls for an immediate ceasefire."
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi t?ld the press conference that ?f th? resolution fails on ?riday, it wo?ld ?e ?iving a li?ense to Israel "to continue with its massacre."
"Our priority for now is to stop the war, stop the killing, stop the destruction of Gaza's infrastructure," ?e said.
"The message that's being sent is that Israel is acting above international law ... and the world is simply not doing much. We disagree with the United States on its position vis-à-vis on the ceasefire," ?e said.
In an interview w?th Reuters on Fri?ay, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ?alled for an immediate end to the war ?n Gaza and said an international peace conference ?hould ?e cal??d t? ?ork o?t a lasting political solution leading t? the establishment ?f a Palestinian ?tate.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk ?nd Jonathan Landay; writing b? Susan Heavey ?nd David Brunnstrom; Editing ?? Caitlin Webber ?nd Grant McCool)
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