Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani on Saturday called for halting the ongoing genocide inflicted upon the people of Gaza by the occupying Israeli forces.

The plea came during a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on the sidelines of the Cairo Peace Summit earlier today.

Egypt holds a summit on the Gaza crisis amid growing fears of a wider Middle East war, but the absence of a top official from Israel's main ally, the U.S., and some other leaders has dampened expectations for what it can achieve.

As the conflict rages, the summit will bring together several Arab and European heads of state and government, alongside foreign ministers.

During the meeting, al-Sudani emphasized the urgency of putting an end to the "continuous Zionist aggression and the genocide that the people of Gaza are facing at the hands of the occupation forces".

He also called for opening humanitarian corridors for the swift transfer of aid. Al-Sudani conveyed Iraq's readiness to organize support and aid convoys to Gaza, a readout by his bureau said.

The premier expressed his country's willingness to "coordinate with all relevant nations and parties to unify the stance and reach practical steps to present before the international community."

Prime Minister al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to addressing the situation and urged the international community to take immediate and effective actions to stop the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Israel readies a ground assault on Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,400 Israelis. More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardment amid a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Egypt has said little about the aims of the gathering, beyond an Oct. 15 statement by the Egyptian presidency that the summit would cover recent developments involving the crisis in Gaza and the future of the Palestinian issue.

Arab countries have voiced anger at Israel's unprecedented bombardment and siege of Gaza, home to 2.3 million people.

Clashes on the northern border with Lebanon and attempted attacks by anti-Israeli forces elsewhere have fuelled fears of a spillover, particularly if a ground offensive proves bloody, while growing anti-Islamic and anti-Semitic harassment around the world has raised security concerns in many countries.