Jeddah: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned an Israeli decision to prevent 37 international NGOs from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement issued in Jeddah on Wednesday, the OIC's general secretariat said the NGOs played a vital and irreplaceable role in easing the humanitarian and medical crisis in Gaza. It warned that what it described as an arbitrary measure would significantly worsen what it called the territory's already catastrophic humanitarian situation, citing Israeli restrictions that it said were limiting the flow of sufficient humanitarian and medical assistance into Gaza.
The OIC said the decision was illegal and amounted to a serious violation of international humanitarian law. It also referred to an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which it said obliges an occupying power to facilitate the work of international and humanitarian organisations and to allow the unimpeded delivery of adequate aid to Gaza.
The organisation called on the international community to take action and apply effective pressure on Israel to reverse the decision. It also urged guarantees for the protection of humanitarian workers and the freedom of aid groups to operate without conditions across the Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza.