Riyadh - Saudi Arabia called for an emergency meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss the Israeli offensive on Gaza, a foreign ministry statement said on Wednesday.

"Due to the escalation in the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, King Abdullah called for an emergency meeting for the GCC countries in the Saudi capital," said the statement.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is a trade bloc involving the six Arab states of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The call comes one day after the Saudi kingdom and Egypt refused an emergency summit requested by Qatar.

King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak said they prefer to hold consultations on Gaza on the sidelines of the Arab economic forum to be held in Kuwait next week.

Over 1,010 people have died in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip during the 19-day offensive by Israel. As fighting on the ground continues, some 4,500 people have been injured. dpa