Gaza crisis: OIC convenes 'extraordinary meeting' on Oct 18 in Jeddah

In response to the escalating military situation in Gaza, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as the current chair of the Islamic Summit, has extended an invitation to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The meeting is scheduled for October 18 and will take place at the General Secretariat headquarters in the Jeddah Governorate.

The objective of this meeting is to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza and its surrounding areas, with a focus on the deteriorating conditions that pose a threat to the lives of civilians and the overall security and stability of the region, according to an official statement from the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah.

In light of the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has decided to put on hold its US-backed plans to normalise ties with Israel, Reuters reported.

The move reflects a swift reassessment of the country's foreign policy priorities in the midst of the escalating hostilities in the region.

The conflict has also pushed the kingdom to engage with Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took his first phone call from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as Riyadh tries to prevent a broader surge in violence across the region.

Read More: Iran's FM meets Hezbollah leader in Lebanon on Israel-Hamas war

The two sources told Reuters there would be a delay in the US-backed talks on normalisation with Israel that was a key step for the kingdom to secure what Riyadh considers the real prize of a US defence pact in exchange.

Until Hamas sparked a war on Oct 7 by launching a devastating attack on Israel, both Israeli and Saudi leaders had been saying they were moving steadily towards a deal that could have reshaped the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest sites, had until the latest conflict indicated it would not allow its pursuit of a US defence pact be derailed even if Israel did not offer significant concessions to the Palestinians in their bid for statehood, sources had previously said.

But an approach that sidelined Palestinians would risk angering Arabs around the region, as Arab news outlets broadcast images of Palestinians killed in Israeli retaliatory airstrikes.

Read More: At least 1,900 Palestinians killed as Israel makes first raids into Gaza

Hamas fighters killed more than 1,300 Israelis in their Oct 7 attack and more than 2,000 Palestinians had been killed by Friday in Israel's ongoing strikes on Gaza.

The first source familiar with Riyadh's thinking said talks could not be continued for now and the issue of Israeli concessions for the Palestinians would need to be a bigger priority when discussions resumed – a comment that indicates Riyadh has not abandoned the idea.