Cairo: The foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic countries condemned on Thursday the ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, particularly the targeting of health facilities and installations, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the continued civilian casualties, including women and children, in grave violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the foreign ministers of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement affirming that these violations constitute a clear breach of Israel's obligations under international law. They noted that such actions undermine international and regional efforts aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip.
The ministers highlighted that these violations threaten to derail the political process, potentially reigniting the cycle of escalation and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the urgent necessity to protect civilians and ensure the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and relief to all parts of Gaza.
In their statement, the ministers expressed categorical rejection of any attempts to annex the occupied Palestinian territory or impose Israeli sovereignty over it, as well as the forcible displacement of the Palestinian people. They underscored that achieving a just and comprehensive peace requires initiating a serious political process leading to the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement called on the international community, particularly the Security Council, to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities. It urged practical measures to compel Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and hold those responsible for grave violations accountable, thereby contributing to the protection of civilians and the achievement of a lasting ceasefire.
Furthermore, the ministers stressed that Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip are inseparable from settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, settlement expansion, and unilateral measures aimed at altering the status quo in occupied Jerusalem. They view these practices as systematic policies aimed at imposing a fait accompli by force and undermining the foundations of the two-state solution.