Israel's assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh will not deter the fight for the Palestinian cause, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said Wednesday.
Foreign Ministers of member states of OIC gathered for an open-ended extraordinary meeting to discuss "the continued crimes of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people" following the killing of Haniyeh.
"The assassination of Sheikh Ismail Haniyeh will not quell the Palestinian cause, rather it amplifies it underscoring the urgency for justice and human rights for the Palestinian people," Gambia's Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara said kicking off the meeting.
"Let it be known that such actions will not deter but rather strengthen the resolve of those who seek peace and justice," he told his counterparts gathered in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah.
Haniyeh was killed last week in a targeted attack blamed on Israel as he visited Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new president.
Tangara warned that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation states are fundamental principles underpinning the international order," and violating such principles would lead to "destabilization, conflict, injustice, crimes against humanity and human suffering."
In his address, Tangara urged for "durable peace that addresses the root causes of the conflict."
"It is crucial for the global community to come together to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need and to work towards a sustainable political solution that promotes peace and security for all people in the region," he said.
He also warned that the continued war on Gaza could lead to further polarization in the Middle East, including complicating peace efforts and potentially drawing in larger powers.
The Jeddah-based OIC is an association of 57 mostly Muslim-majority states, with Gambia currently acting as the rotating chairman.
