Abu Dhabi: As Israel continues its military operations targeting Hamas in Gaza and makes preparations for a possible ground invasion of Gaza City, in retaliation for the horrific terror attack by Hamas on October 7th, an important meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been called. Saudi Arabia, which chairs the current session of the Islamic Summit and the Executive Committee of the OIC, has convened this crucial meeting. It is scheduled to be held on October 18 in Jeddah, with the official notification released on October 14.

The statement from the OIC reads, "At the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Organisation's Executive Committee is convening an urgent open-ended extraordinary meeting at the ministerial level to address the escalating military situation in Gaza and its environs, as well as the deteriorating conditions that endanger the lives of civilians and the overall security and stability of the region." The statement also specifies that the extraordinary meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at the General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah Governorate.

The collective stance of the 56 Islamic nations in the OIC is a condemnation of Israel's actions, particularly in the aftermath of the gruesome attack on October 7th by Hamas terrorists. This attack resulted in the tragic loss of life, with at least 1300 Israelis, including the elderly, women, and children, losing their lives, and numerous others sustaining injuries. The terror group also took hostages, including children.

On the Palestinian side, the toll is equally devastating, with around 1900 Palestinians losing their lives and thousands more being injured in Israeli airstrikes. The combined casualties on both sides have surpassed 3,200. Against the backdrop of potential ground operations, Israel's military has issued evacuation orders to residents in the northern Gaza Strip, while Hamas has advised them to remain. Approximately 400,000 people have heeded Israel's 24-hour evacuation order for the northern areas of the territory, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The situation in Gaza is dire, characterized by power outages, a scarcity of food and water, and relentless Israeli airstrikes. This critical meeting of the OIC foreign ministers underscores the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to address the escalating crisis. In the midst of these tragic events, United States President Joe Biden has emphasized the pressing need to address the humanitarian crisis arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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