CAIRO – 8 August 2024: An extraordinary meeting for foreign ministers from member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the “heinous” assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the former Hamas leader, in an Israeli strike on Iran.
The open-ended extraordinary gathering of the executive committee at the foreign ministers' level of the OIC convened on Wednesday to discuss the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and its Infringing on Iran’s sovereignty.
In a communique following the meeting, the foreign ministers held Israel, the illegal occupying force, entirely accountable for the assault on Haniyeh, which occurred in late July.
The ministers declared the incident as “a crime of aggression, a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter and a serious infringement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The meeting additionally denounced the continuous Israeli crimes, cautioning that they destabilize security and peace in the region.
The ministers urged immediate and efficient action by the UN Security Council within its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
Furthermore, the extraordinary session vehemently condemned the persistent war crimes, aggression, and genocide perpetrated by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.
It was noted that Israeli aggression against Palestinians over the past 300 days resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 140,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children.
The OIC gathering also censured the destruction of essential facilities and infrastructure, as well as the displacement of over two million Palestinians from their residences.
The meeting called for an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression and the practice of torture, starvation, and collective punishment against the Palestinian population.
It also reaffirmed an unequivocal rejection and vowed to counter through all means any efforts to displace, expel, or forcibly transfer the Palestinian people from their homeland.
Hazardous regional situation
Israel is on alert for potential retaliatory actions from Iran following the Israeli forces’ assassination of prominent Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.
Late in July, Israeli forces killed Fuad Shukr, a prominent commander of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut, and Hamas' Haniyeh in a strike in Tehran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pledged that Israel would face “severe punishment at the appropriate time, place, and manner” for Shukr's killing.
The IRGC stated that Hezbollah’s attacks are anticipated to extend beyond military sites.
It also mentioned that the strike against Shukr resulted in the deaths of five civilians, with the support of the United States.
Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and others, have updated their travel advisories for Lebanon, urging their citizens to refrain from all travel to the country due to the deteriorating security situation.
Meanwhile, Haniyeh was assassinated in his residence in the Iranian capital shortly after participating in the inauguration of Pezeshkian.
The Israeli military has declared a state of high alert in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack on Israel, while the Pentagon has announced the deployment of additional warships and fighter jets to deter any potential assault.
Several major airlines, including United, Delta, and Lufthansa, have suspended flights to and from Israel due to concerns about the escalating security situation.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation after Haniyah’s death, characterizing it as a "duty." Reports indicate that Khamenei has ordered a direct strike against Israel.
Both Hezbollah and Hamas have also pledged to avenge Haniyeh's killing, heightening fears of a potential regional conflict.
The growing tensions across the region come while the Israeli war in Gaza has continued for 10 months.
Israeli airstrikes across the strip, even in designated "safe zones," have killed 39,653 individuals and injured 91,535, according to Gaza's health ministry on Tuesday.
Additionally, Gaza has experienced extensive destruction of vital infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and essential facilities, heightening the region's susceptibility to an imminent famine.
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