Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa Condemns Hamas
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minster, publicly condemned the Hamas attack on Israel while speaking at a Middle East security and defense conference on Saturday. He is the first Arab leader to do so.
Hamas terrorists invaded Israel last month, murdering nearly 1,200 individuals and taking 240 into captivity.
The Bahrain Crown Prince said he was siding with innocent civilians in the ongoing war. He condemned Hamas fighters for killing children, women, and the elderly. Moreover, he called out the terrorists for taking away small babies and holding them hostage.
Al Khalifa also criticized Israel for its airstrikes directed at the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas’ assault. He said the Israel Defense Forces’ air campaigns, which Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported to have caused the deaths of over 10,000 people, including 4,700 children, were unacceptable.
Bahrain Crown Prince’s Demands to Israel and Hamas
The Bahrain leader asked the two parties involved in the war to stop their actions to prevent further loss of innocent lives. He also demanded Hamas release the captives that it has been holding for more than six weeks. On the other hand, Al Khalifa urged Israel to free Palestinian children and women locked up in Israeli prisons for committing security offenses.
He believes that freeing Palestinian prisoners is the only way to stop further conflicts between Israel and Hamas.
Bahrain Crown Prince Calls for Ceasefire to Allow Humanitarian Aid
Like many other leaders who have spoken about the ongoing war, Al Khalifa is also calling for Hamas and Israel to give room for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza so that the wounded and sick people can be treated and other Gazans get access to basic needs like food and water.
Additionally, the Bahrain leader called on the international community to unite and mediate peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. He said the goal was to ensure the current war ends as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, most Arab leaders have been calling on Israel to stop attacking Gaza without criticizing Hamas for its deadly attack and taking innocent people hostage. Al Khalifa noted this in his speech.
