Saudi Arabia trying to contain Israel-Hamas fighting, says Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia is making efforts to contain the fighting between Israel and Hamas, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) told Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas Tuesday as the resistance group launched its surprise attack against Tel Aviv, inflicting heavy losses.

According to Saudi media reports, the Saudi leader expressed his country's solidarity with the Palestinian people in a conversation with Abbas saying the oil country continued "to stand by the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to a decent life, achieve their hopes and aspirations, and achieve just and lasting peace."

The surprise attack was launched by Hamas early Saturday with heavy rocket fires killing over 1,000 people in the occupied country. Israel in escalating measures announced an unprecedented blockade to the Gaza Strip in which the supply of food and fuel to war-ravaged Palestinians would be banned.

Israel's foreign ministry said that at least 1,000 Israelis have been killed, while Palestine's health ministry said that the number of martyrs rose to 687. 

The spiralling violence kicked off amid speculation that Saudi Arabia, which has never recognised Israel, would agree to normalise ties as part of a deal in which it would obtain security guarantees from the United States as well as assistance in developing a civilian nuclear programme.

However, MBS told Fox News last month that the Palestinian issue was "very important" for Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam in Mecca and Medina.

"We need to solve that part. We need to ease the life of the Palestinians," MBS said.

Analysts say any progress towards normalisation has now been dealt a heavy blow by the ongoing fighting.

The 38-year-old has also spoken about the crisis by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II, according to Saudi Press Agency.