RIYADH / JERUSALEM - The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Friday condemned Israel's Gaza aid blockade and rejected forcing residents out of the enclave.

In a final statement issued by the GCC's Ministerial Council following its 163rd session held Thursday in the Saudi city of Mecca, the GCC member states affirmed their solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.

The Israeli aid blockade "constitutes a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement, international humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention," read the statement published on the GCC's website, which urged the international community to "stop these grave Israeli violations, activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure sustainable access to aid."

The GCC countries also reject in the statement "any attempts to forcibly relocate residents of Gaza, as this constitutes a gross violation of international law and humanitarian principles," calling for global protection for the Palestinian population.

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It is necessary to abide by the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas and halt the "Israeli aggression" on Gaza, the statement said.

The GCC countries support "the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all occupied Palestinian territories," it said, demanding urgent collective action be taken to achieve a lasting solution that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

According to the statement, the member states also commend and support the outcomes of the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine held recently in Egypt.

The GCC consists of six member states, namely the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Israel's political leadership has instructed the army to prepare for an immediate resumption of fighting in Gaza, the state-owned Kan TV News reported on Friday.

The channel quoted Israeli officials as saying that Hamas has shown no willingness to advance the proposal put forward by US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The proposal outlines the release of the remaining 59 hostages -- both living and deceased -- in two phases: approximately half at the outset, with the remainder freed after 50 days, during which humanitarian aid to Gaza would be increased.

According to the channel, the directive for the Israeli army came due to the stalemate in negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the second phase of the deal.

It added that Israel does not intend to negotiate an end to the war as stipulated in the agreement.

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Security officials have cautioned that resuming hostilities could endanger the remaining hostages. However, Israeli leadership believes that the ongoing blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza is exerting pressure that may facilitate additional hostage releases, the report said.

The channel also reported that senior Israeli officials expressed anger towards their American counterparts over direct talks between US Presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, and senior Hamas officials -- discussions that Israel was informed of only after they took place.

"The Americans are going over our heads to put pressure on us too," an Israeli official told Kan TV.

On Thursday, Witkoff said there was a date for a return to fighting if agreements were not reached, but did not specify it.

The fighting between Israel and Hamas was halted on Jan 19 with the entry into force of a ceasefire-hostage agreement.

The deal's first phase was completed with nine swaps of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, but no agreements were reached on the continuation of the swaps and a permanent end to the fighting.

In Cairo, a Hamas delegation arrived in Egypt's capital on Friday for talks on implementing terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal and pushing forward negotiations on its second phase, Egypt's State Information Service said in a statement.

Egypt is holding intensive talks with Hamas leaders, as well as US and Qatari mediators, to continue the implementation of the ceasefire and to begin the 2nd phase of the deal, according to the statement.

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A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. The negotiations for the second phase of the deal remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1.

Egypt has been intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve a Gaza ceasefire and advance the strip's reconstruction. On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a Gaza non-displacement reconstruction plan valued at $53 billion.

However, the plan necessitates a permanent ceasefire in the strip to encourage financing and investment for its implementation.