ISTANBUL 

Kuwait has raised alarms about the "serious escalation" of Israeli aggression against Lebanon, emphasizing the need for a "genuine political commitment to reform the United Nations Security Council in order to avert global instability."

Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah made these remarks during his address to the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday evening.

Israel has pounded Lebanon since Monday morning, killing at least 677 people and injuring over 2,500 others, according to figures released by the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,500 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 of last year.

The international community has warned against the strikes on Lebanon, as they raise the specter of spreading the Gaza conflict regionally.

Crown Prince Al-Sabah condemned Israeli airstrikes and military offensives against Lebanon, which have resulted in significant civilian casualties, describing the ongoing escalation as a blatant violation of international laws and norms.

He also criticized Israel for violating Lebanese sovereignty and attempting to drag Lebanon into the regional conflict.

He emphasized the importance of fully implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for a comprehensive cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel, as well as the creation of a demilitarized zone in southern Lebanon between the Blue Line and the Litani River that excludes Lebanese army forces and UNIFIL troops.

The crown prince also expressed concern over Israel's alarming increase in military offensives against Palestinians in Gaza and other occupied regions, including Jerusalem and the West Bank.

He reiterated Kuwait's steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, asserting that true peace in the region can only be achieved by establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the borders of June 4, 1967.

Concerning the situation in Sudan, the crown prince has called for an immediate halt to fighting and a return to dialogue and peaceful political processes to ensure the country's security, stability, and territorial integrity.

Sudan has been embroiled in conflict between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since mid-April 2023, with over 20,000 people killed and nearly 10 million displaced, according to the UN.

There is an increasing international demand for an end to this conflict to prevent a looming humanitarian disaster that threatens millions with famine and death due to food shortages caused by the ongoing violence, which has spread across 13 of the country's 18 states.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul