TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the unprecedented “humanitarian catastrophe” in the Gaza Strip.

In letters to OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Araghchi urged the convening of an extraordinary session in response to the “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation” in the besieged Palestinian territory.

“The appalling situation in Gaza has become one of the gravest crises confronting the Islamic Ummah and the international community,” he said. “This is not merely a humanitarian emergency — it is the systematic destruction of a besieged civilian population. The scope and intensity of the crimes demand immediate and coordinated action.”

The appeal comes as Gaza faces extreme famine, with international agencies reporting catastrophic hunger levels. At least 193 people — including 96 children — have died of starvation in recent months, while aid convoys remain blocked or heavily restricted by the Israeli regime. More than 1,500 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while attempting to access food.

Araghchi warned that credible humanitarian and media reports leave “no other word” to describe the crisis but “genocide.” He also accused Israel of pursuing a “strategic intent” to permanently occupy Gaza, citing military actions, political statements, and demographic measures aimed at erasing the enclave’s territorial and political identity.

“Senior officials of the Zionist regime have openly declared plans to eliminate Gaza as a political entity,” he said. “This is part of a calculated design to dismantle Palestinian sovereignty through permanent occupation, forced displacement, and demographic manipulation.”

The Iranian foreign minister called for the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers to meet urgently in Jeddah to coordinate humanitarian relief, assess the legal and political ramifications of Israel’s actions, and adopt a unified response.

“The meeting must agree on concrete diplomatic, legal, and economic steps to halt the aggression, hold the perpetrators accountable, and reaffirm the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, sovereignty, and return,” Araghchi stressed.

Israel launched its US-backed war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas, which was carried out in retaliation for decades of Israeli occupation and violence. The ongoing Israeli assault has so far killed at least 61,158 Palestinians, the vast majority women and children.