JEDDAH, Monday August 25, 2025 (WNP): The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday issued a sweeping resolution at its 21st extraordinary session in Jeddah, condemning Israeli military actions in Gaza as genocide and calling for immediate international intervention to halt the humanitarian catastrophe.

The resolution, adopted at the request of Palestine, Türkiye, and Iran, reaffirmed earlier commitments made during the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh (November 2024) and the OIC’s 51st Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul (June 2025).

According to OIC figures presented at the meeting, Israeli military operations have killed more than 62,500 Palestinians—including 12,400 women and 18,500 children—and injured over 160,000 since the escalation began. More than 1.5 million people have been displaced, while widespread destruction of food supplies, medical facilities, and civilian infrastructure has triggered famine conditions in Gaza.

The foreign ministers denounced Israel’s declared intention to impose full military control over Gaza and warned that any displacement of Palestinians would amount to ethnic cleansing. The resolution branded Israel’s actions—including settlement expansion, land confiscation, attacks on holy sites, and targeting of journalists—as “war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity” requiring accountability under international law.

The council urged the UN Security Council to convene a special session during the upcoming UN General Assembly to address the crisis, and demanded that Israel open all border crossings to allow the urgent and unconditional entry of humanitarian aid. It also called for support to UNRWA and other UN agencies operating in Palestinian territories.

In addition, the OIC supported ceasefire mediation led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, and endorsed preparations for a reconstruction conference in Cairo. It urged international partners to back the two-state solution, based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, describing this as the only path to a just and lasting peace.

The resolution further called on member states to pursue legal measures against Israel, including sanctions, arms embargoes, and action at the International Criminal Court (ICC). It also raised the possibility of reviewing Israel’s membership in the United Nations, given what the council described as “persistent violations of the UN Charter.”

The council concluded by urging states that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so, praising recent moves by countries in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania toward formal recognition.