Pan-Islamic grouping convenes to discuss Israeli ‘crimes’

By Ibrahim Khazen

RIYADH (AA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held an extraordinary meeting in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Wednesday to discuss Israeli “crimes” against the Palestinian people and “aggressions” against Iran’s sovereignty.

The meeting is held at the level of the OIC foreign ministers, the pan-Islamic organization said in a statement.

Regional tensions have escalated following last week’s assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. While Hamas and Iran accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied responsibility.

Lebanese group Hezbollah has also threatened to retaliate against Israel following the assassination of its senior commander Fouad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb on July 30.

The escalation comes amid Israel’s devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 39,600 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 91,600 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over 10 months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala