HAMILTON, Canada
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday strongly condemned Israel's plan to impose full military control over the Gaza Strip, calling it "a dangerous and unacceptable escalation."
"The OIC group expresses a strong condemnation and categorical rejection of Israel's announcement of its intention to impose full military control over the Gaza Strip," Türkiye's deputy UN envoy, Asli Guven, said during a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, as the country presides over the ministerial council of the OIC.
She described the move as "a flagrant violation of international law and an attempt to entrench the illegal occupation and impose a fait accompli by force."
"We demand the immediate and comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip," she said, demanding that Israel "immediately and unconditionally allow the entry of humanitarian assistance at scale into the Gaza Strip, including food, medicine, and fuel."
Asked about the recent killing of journalists, Guven said: "We fully concur with your views expressed, particularly for the killing of the journalists. This is a deliberate policy to silence the journalists, but we are all aware that the truth cannot be silenced.
"As a matter of fact, I have the honor also to announce that my minister (Hakan Fidan) called on the OIC delegation in New York to commence an extraordinary OIC group meeting to discuss the possible course forward to take in this regard."
Palestine's UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, urged all states and international institutions "to take further steps to force Israel to comply with its obligation."
"The Security Council has tools available to it if they wish to act accordingly, but states in their national capacity can also take steps," he added.
Mansour also welcomed recent "practical" actions Europe has taken in support of the Palestinian people and urged it to be "complemented by all other countries in order to bring Israel into compliance."