Muslim bloc denounces Israel’s overnight attack on Rafah camp for displaced people

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued on Monday a strong condemnation of Israel following a devastating attack on a densely populated camp for displaced persons in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

At least 35 people were killed and dozens injured as Israel targeted houses in the city and a camp for displaced people on Sunday.

In a statement, the OIC categorized this act as "a war crime, a crime against humanity, and state-sponsored terrorism."

It emphasizes the need for Israel's accountability and prosecution under international criminal law.

The secretary-general of the OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha, squarely placed responsibility on Israel for its actions, which include “brutal assaults against Palestinian civilians, which violate humanitarian values and constitute a blatant breach of international law.”

In a renewed call to action, the OIC urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to fulfill its obligations by compelling Israel to immediately cease its aggression, allowing humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip.

Israel has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, which killed around 1,200 people.

The military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.

The attack comes despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice that ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul