Islamic bloc denounces Israeli onslaught on northern Gaza

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s deadly offensive against Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army launched a military operation in northern Gaza on Oct. 6 amid a tight siege on the area, claiming that the offensive aims to prevent Hamas from regrouping in the area.

Palestinians dispute the Israeli claim, saying the deadly attack aims to force them to leave the area once and for all.

Ten days into the onslaught, more than 300 people have been killed amid massive destruction across the area, according to Palestinian authorities.

In a statement, the OIC expressed “its strong condemnation of the continued escalation of war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian citizens, especially in the northern Gaza Strip.”

The pan-Islamic bloc called the Israeli onslaught a “part of attempts aiming at forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide against the Palestinian people.”

It held Israel “responsible for the continuation of this aggression and organized terrorism practiced against the Palestinian people.”

The OIC also called for imposing sanctions on Israel and holding it accountable “for all ongoing crimes and violations.”

The organization also urged the UN Security Council “to assume its responsibilities, implement its resolutions, impose an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire, and put a definitive end to the continued violations of international law and relevant UN resolutions committed by the Israeli occupation.”

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Nearly 42,300 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 98,600 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.