NEW YORK, August 12, 2025 (WAFA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed on Tuesday its "strong condemnation and categorical rejection of Israel's announcement of its intention to impose full military control over the Gaza Strip.”
On behalf of the OIC, Deputy Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Fikriye Asli Güven told reporters: “We consider this announcement a dangerous and unacceptable escalation, a flagrant violation of international law and an attempt to entrench the illegal occupation and impose a fait accompli by force in contravention of international law, international humanitarian law and relevant United Nations resolutions.”
Ambassador Güven added, the OIC reaffirms that this declared course of action by Israel constitutes a continuation of its grave violations, including killing and starvation, attempts at forced displacement, and annexation of Palestinian land, the settler terrorism, which are crimes that may amount to crimes against humanity.
The OIC demanded “the immediate and comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, and an end to the ongoing violations committed by the occupying forces against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”
Moreover, the group also demanded that Israel, as the occupying power, “immediately and unconditionally allow the entry of humanitarian assistance at scale into the Gaza Strip, including food, medicine, and fuel, and ensure the freedom of operation of relief agencies and international humanitarian organizations in accordance with international humanitarian law and its applicable principles.”
The Turkish diplomat reiterated the group’s full support for the efforts undertaken by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the United States of America to achieve a ceasefire and reach an agreement for the exchange of prisoners and hostages as a fundamental humanitarian entry point to de-escalation, alleviating suffering and ending the aggression.
The OIC called for the immediate commencement of implementation of the Arab Islamic Reconstruction Plan of the Gaza Strip, and for active participation in the upcoming reconstruction conference to be held in Cairo.
Ambassador Güven reiterated the group’s “rejection and condemnation of all attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the affirmation of the need to preserve the legal and historical status quo of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem while recognizing the key role of the Hashemite custodianship in this regard.”
She affirmed that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the Two-state solution.
“We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the ongoing genocide and the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, taking place in the Gaza Strip, and calls upon the international community, particularly the permanent members of the Security Council, to assume their legal and humanitarian responsibilities and to take urgent action to stop Israel's illegal aggressive policies aimed at undermining prospects for a just and lasting peace, and eliminating any horizon for the implementation of the Two-state solution and ensuring immediate accountability for all violations committed by Israel against international law and international humanitarian law, including those amounting to genocide,” she said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said that the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution will resume on 22 September in New York.
A.D./ K.F.
