OIC condemns massacres committed by Israel following discovery of mass grave

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday condemned the “horrific massacres” of Palestinians by Israel following the discovery of a mass grave in the courtyard of the Nasser Medical Complex in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

In a statement, the OIC said the discovery is an indication that "hundreds of displaced, injured and the sick as well as medical convoys were subjected to forms of torture and abuse before they were executed and given mass burial."

It said it considers the mass grave as evidence of a "war crime, a crime against humanity, and organized state terrorism," adding that such mass murder "requires investigation, accountability and sanction under international criminal law."

"The OIC renewed its call on the international community, in particular the (UN) Security Council, on the need to stop the war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip and to provide international protection for the Palestinian people,” it added.

At least 283 bodies have been recovered so far from the mass grave at Nasser Medical Complex after the Israeli army withdrew from the city on April 7 following a four-month ground offensive, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 34,151 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,000 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.