OIC Calls Termination Of Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Violating Humanitarian Law To UN Resolution

Illustration of the queue of aid trucks for the Gaza Strip. (Twitter/@ChinaAmbUN)

JAKARTA - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemns Israel's move to stop the entry of humanitarian aid and close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip.

In a statement issued on Monday, the OKI stressed that the unlawful act was a violation of international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and the relevant United Nations resolution, quoted from WAFA March 3.

Israel's illegal blockade in Gaza is a collective punishment and crime against humanity, which requires accountability based on Rome's Statute from the International Criminal Court, the statement continued.

The OIC in its statement also called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to immediately take action to end Israel's ongoing crimes and violations in the occupied Palestinian Territory and to ensure the delivery of unrestricted and sustainable humanitarian aid in all Gaza regions.

It is known that the first phase of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel ended on March 1.

In the first phase, Hamas handed over 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais who were repatriated in unscheduled release, in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and prisoners from Israeli prisons and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from several positions in Gaza.

Under the initial agreement, the second phase is meant to begin negotiations over the release of the remaining 59 hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the end of the war.

But the negotiations never started and Israel said all its hostages had to be sent home for the battle to stop.

"Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said, announcing the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip would be halted.

"If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be additional consequences."

Hamas denounced Israel's actions as "extortion" and "open coup against the agreement".

"We ask the mediator to suppress the occupation to fulfill its obligations under the agreement, at all stages," he said, adding the only way to regain the hostages was to comply with the agreement and start negotiations for the second phase.

Commenting on the suspension of aid entry, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the decision would affect ceasefire negotiations, adding his group "does not respond to pressure."