Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee Condemns Israel’s Plan for Full Military Control Over Gaza

A ministerial committee representing more than two dozen Arab and Islamic nations issued a joint statement Saturday strongly condemning Israel’s announcement that it intends to impose full military control over the Gaza Strip, calling the move a “dangerous and unacceptable escalation” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”

The committee — mandated by the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit and comprising Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and additional states from Asia and Africa — warned that Israel’s declared plan seeks to entrench its “illegal occupation” and impose a fait accompli by force.

The statement accused Israel of committing “grave violations” in Gaza, including killing and starvation, forced displacement, land annexation, and “settler terrorism,” which it said may amount to crimes against humanity. Such actions, the group said, destroy any chance for peace, undermine de-escalation efforts, and deepen what it described as a nearly two-year blockade and military aggression affecting all aspects of life in Gaza, alongside serious violations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The committee called for an immediate end to Israel’s military campaign, the unhindered delivery of large-scale humanitarian aid — including food, medicine, and fuel — and the protection of relief agencies’ operations. It voiced support for mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States aimed at securing a ceasefire and a prisoner-hostage exchange, and urged rapid implementation of an Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan for Gaza, with an international conference set to convene in Cairo.

The statement also rejected any attempt to displace Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and reaffirmed the need to preserve the legal and historical status quo at Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under Hashemite Custodianship.

The committee stressed that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. It held Israel “fully responsible” for what it called “ongoing genocide” and urged the international community, particularly the U.N. Security Council’s permanent members, to act urgently to halt Israel’s “illegal aggressive policies” and ensure accountability for violations of international law.