Iran calls on Islamic nations to unite against Gaza blockade

As part of intensified diplomatic efforts to tackle the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held separate phone conversations on Friday with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Iraq’s Fuad Hussein, and Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The ministers discussed the latest regional and international developments, with a strong focus on the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

Araghchi highlighted the dire impact of the siege on Gaza and the continued Israeli bombardment of civilian infrastructure and residential areas, calling for “the use of all international and regional capacities, especially within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and put an end to the Zionist regime’s crimes.”

Strongly condemning the Israeli Knesset’s recent vote to greenlight the expansion of the regime's control over the occupied West Bank, Araghchi described the move as part of a broader “long-term project to erase Palestinian identity.”

“These actions, occurring in parallel with ongoing attacks in Gaza, demonstrate the Zionist regime’s determination to destroy the land and nation of Palestine entirely — and Islamic countries must not remain silent in the face of this dangerous trajectory,” he said.

Urging Islamic nations to convene an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Araghchi stressed that the international community must put an end to the Israeli regime's impunity and "swiftly prosecute and punish the Zionist criminals for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Pakistan's foreign minister, for his part, voiced serious concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to cooperate closely with Iran and other Islamic nations in sending aid and pursuing political solution to end the crisis.

The Egyptian foreign minister also expressed deep concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and condemned Israel’s attacks on civilians, stressing the urgent need for the international community to take immediate action to stop the violence and provide effective support for the oppressed Palestinian people.

The ministers also reviewed ways to strengthen cooperation among Muslim countries and emphasized the urgent need for joint measures to curb Israeli aggression.

The call comes as Gaza’s Government Media Office announced that at least 122 Palestinians — including 83 children — have died from starvation since Israel’s military onslaught began in October 2023, most of them in recent weeks.

Despite global appeals, Israeli authorities continue to block the flow of vital humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave. While limited assistance is distributed through US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) centers, Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked Palestinians seeking aid. According to Gaza’s authorities, over 1,000 aid seekers have been killed and more than 5,000 injured by Israeli forces in recent months.

The Media Office has demanded an immediate end to the famine and called for unrestricted entry of 500 aid trucks and 50 fuel trucks per day, including urgent supplies such as baby formula.

It also called for “the formation of an international commission to investigate the systematic starvation crime,” while demanding the arrest of Israeli “war criminals,” including soldiers vacationing abroad.

“We hold the Israeli occupation, the US administration, and countries involved in genocide — such as Britain, Germany, and France — as well as the international community fully responsible for this historic crime,”
the office said in a statement.

Since October 7, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 59,676 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and forced the displacement of nearly the entire population of 2.2 million, reducing much of the coastal enclave to rubble./isna