Organization of Islamic Cooperation describes Israel's attacks against Palestinians as 'barbaric' calling it 'apartheid state'

CAIRO – 17 May 2021: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Sunday the "barbaric attacks" launched by Israel against the Palestinian people, its lands, and its sacred places urging the complete and immediate ending of such violations.

The organization charged Israel with being an "apartheid state" that establishes settlements on the rubbles of Palestinian properties forcing Arab residents out of their homes.

Further, the OIC expressed concern over the accelerated pace of the Israeli occupation policy, particularly Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods Eastern Jerusalem.

The organization held Israel "fully accountable for the deterioration of the situation because of its systematic crimes against the Palestinian people across all occupied Palestinian territories, precisely the expansive barbaric aggression against besieged Gaza Strip, where the number of victims and the size of destruction of properties and infrastructure are rising."

The OIC urged the international community to provide security to the Palestinian people in accordance with international standards indicated in humanitarian law and previous calls of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Since May 7, Israeli forces in the West Bank and Jerusalem have been engaged in clashes with civilians who were protesting forced displacement, particularly from Sheikh Jarrah eastern Jerusalem, and assaults on worshippers in Al Aqsa Mosque. And, since May 10, Israel has been shelling and carrying out airstrikes against Gaza Strip. The aggression has thus far incurred 220 deaths and 6,039 injuries, as reported by the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA).

The breakdown is 198 deaths, including 58 children and 35 women, and 1,300 injuries in Gaza Strip; 21 deaths and 3,728 injuries in the West Bank; and, one victim and 1,011 injuries in Jerusalem. In the West Bank, 441 were shot with live rounds, and 172 were shot with rubber-coated bullets among other injuries caused by tear gas, and beating up. As for Palestinians who got detained in Jerusalem and the West Bank, the figure is 850.

The strikes also caused the destruction of more than 200 residential units in Gaza Strip and 31 educational establishments, including schools, colleges, and vocational training centers so as hundreds of families fled from the North to the South.

On the other hand, Magen David Agom announced that 10 Israelis got killed since the beginning of the "Fence Guardian" operation on May 10 while 675 others got injured.

On Saturday, the Israeli forces struck a number of towers in Gaza Strip. One of those housed the offices of a number of media outlets.

On Friday, power went off in most areas of Gaza Strip because of the Israeli aggression carried out not just from land and air but also from sea as Israeli battleships struck the shores of Shatea El Sudaneya northern Gaza.