ISTANBUL

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday condemned Israel’s ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip and its prevention of humanitarian aid deliveries, with the bloc’s secretary-general describing Tel Aviv’s starvation policy as “the crime of the century.”

In a statement, GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi held Israel fully responsible for the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, warning that the deliberate policy of collective starvation amounts to a full-fledged war crime that requires urgent international accountability.

Al-Budaiwi said the Israeli siege and denial of aid had led to the spread of famine and the collapse of health and food systems in Gaza, warning that the Palestinian territory is facing “a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented scale.”

He urged the international community to act immediately and unconditionally to stop the siege, ensure the swift and unhindered entry of food and medical supplies, and prevent further atrocities against the Palestinian people.

“This brutal blockade challenges all international humanitarian norms, violates the Geneva Conventions, and undermines the values and principles of human rights,” al-Budaiwi said, warning that the situation in Gaza “exceeds all thresholds of humanitarian decency.”

The GCC also called on all international bodies and organizations to take serious measures to stop the killing, lift the siege, and prevent further starvation-related deaths. It reiterated the need to reopen border crossings without delay and save the lives of innocent civilians.

Al-Budaiwi reaffirmed the GCC’s support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to life, freedom, and national self-determination, in line with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative, which offers Israel full recognition in exchange for withdrawal from Arab lands.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and a spread of disease.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.