Somali Magazine – On Tuesday, the BRICS nations will have an Extraordinary Joint Meeting to review the situation in Gaza six weeks into the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will preside over the virtual gathering, which will also include leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, and China, according to a release.
President Xi Jinping will attend the virtual summit, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as new BRICS members whose full membership begins next year, have been invited to attend the meeting.
According to the most recent Palestinian authorities, at least 13,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 9,000 women and children, and more than 30,000 others have been injured since Israel began bombing Gaza in response to the Palestinian group Hamas’s surprise Oct. 7 onslaught.
Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have been damaged or destroyed as a result of Israel’s relentless air and military attacks on the beleaguered enclave.
An Israeli blockade has also cut off Gaza’s access to fuel, electricity, and water, limiting aid delivery to a trickle.
According to official figures, the Israeli dead toll exceeds 1200 people.
So far, Tel Aviv has resisted mounting pleas for a cease-fire unless Hamas free its hostages.