Arab, Islamic blocs slam Israel's plan to impose full military control over Gaza
CAIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The ministerial committee mandated by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Gaza, along with 23 countries, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on Saturday jointly voiced "strong condemnation and categorical rejection" of Israel's intention to impose full military control over Gaza.
The joint statement, released by the foreign ministries of the countries, including Egypt, Palestine, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Mauritania, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Chad, Djibouti, Somalia, Türkiye, and Gambia, described the Israeli intention as "a dangerous and unacceptable escalation, a flagrant violation of international law, and an attempt to entrench the illegal occupation and impose a fait accompli on the ground by force, in contravention of international legitimacy."
The statement warned that the declared Israeli course of action "constitutes a continuation of its grave violations, including killing and starvation, attempts at forced displacement and annexation of Palestinian land, and settler terrorism, which are crimes that may amount to crimes against humanity."
It added that such measures "obliterate any opportunity for peace, undermine regional and international efforts towards de-escalation and peaceful resolution of the conflict, and exacerbate the severe violations against the Palestinian people."
The countries and blocs demanded "the immediate and comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression" in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, as well as the "unconditional entry" of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and the freedom of operation for relief agencies.
It also voiced support for mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States "to achieve a ceasefire and reach an agreement for the exchange of prisoners and hostages."
Meanwhile, in a meeting in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also "affirmed their rejection of a military re-occupation of the Gaza Strip" and called for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
Both sides "reiterated the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and captives," while reaffirming their rejection of the displacement of Palestinians, the statement said.
Also on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that 106 aid packages were airdropped throughout the Gaza Strip by six countries.
For the first time, Greece and Italy participated in the air operation, cooperating with the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Germany, and the Netherlands, according to the statement.
Since the resumption of the international airdrop operation in late July, 11 countries have taken part, providing more than 1,100 aid packages to the Gaza Strip so far.
The IDF said it is continuing a series of actions to improve the humanitarian response in Gaza and will work with the international community to enhance aid efforts, while rejecting allegations that it is deliberately causing starvation there.
However, United Nations officials and experts say the airdrops have little impact in relieving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza unless Israel opens the land crossings to allow more aid in and permits medical treatment for the malnourished.
Israel launched its large-scale military operation in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, after a Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and led to the capture of hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Gaza's health authorities said on Saturday that at least 61,369 Palestinians have been killed and 152,850 injured since October 2023. ■