U.N., Saudi Arabia meet, discuss peace

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 22 (UPI) -- Top U.N. and Saudi Arabian officials are calling for a renewed commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip worsens.

U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process Robert Serry and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal recently met in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh to discuss peace initiatives for the region and specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Officials say Serry and al-Faisal stressed the importance of a commitment to comprehensive peace with the backing of U.N. Security Council resolutions and international laws, the United Nations reported.

The two discussed the importance of reinvigorating the road map between Israel and Palestine as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip escalates. Officials say the Gaza Strip has been cut off from all fuel shipment since the April 9 attack on the Nahal Oz fuel depot by Palestinian militants.

International aid organizations working in the Gaza Strip are expected to meet Tuesday to assess the situation. Many officials say they will be forced to shut down operations in the Gaza Strip if fuel supplies are not restored.