Jeddah: The Organisation of the Islamic Conference today urged the UN Security Council to take action to halt Israel s "brutal and sustained aggression" against the Gaza Strip.

Foreign ministers of the 57-member organisation expressed "disappointment at the failure of the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to end the Israeli aggression" in Gaza, a statement said.

They also called on the Security Council "to live up to its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security," the statement said.

The ministers "strongly condemned the brutal and sustained aggression which Israel perpetrates against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of civilians, leaving thousands injured, and wreaking massive havoc on houses, civic facilities and infrastructure," the statement said.

The OIC should call for a meeting of the UN General Assembly on the crisis if the Security Council fails to act on Israel s week-long deadly bombing campaign, it added.

The group also proposed the creation an international observer mission for Gaza "to stem the escalation of the conflict and to ensure the stabilisation of the situation."

OIC ministers said the organisation should also convene an urgent meeting of the UN Human Rights Council to discuss human rights violations in Gaza, the statement added.

They also stressed the need to support the Palestinian National Authority and assist it in rebuilding what has been destroyed by Israel s deadly offensive in Gaza, and said they supported convening a donors conference for this purpose.
Source : PTI