Amman, Dec. 31 (Petra) The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Wednesday strongly condemned the latest decision by the Israeli occupation authorities to prevent 37 international non-governmental organizations working in the humanitarian and health fields from carrying out their activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement published on its website, the organization said the NGOs play a vital and indispensable role in alleviating human suffering in the Gaza Strip, warning of the dangers of the arbitrary Israeli measure, which would seriously exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian suffering in Gaza due to Israeli restrictions that prevent the entry of sufficient quantities of humanitarian and medical aid into the enclave.

It said the decision by the Israeli authorities is illegal and constitutes a blatant violation of the principles of international humanitarian law and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which obliges the Israeli occupation to facilitate the work of international and humanitarian organizations and calls for allowing adequate and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.

The General Secretariat called on the international community to take the necessary measures and exert effective pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to reverse the decision, ensure the protection of humanitarian workers, and guarantee the freedom of humanitarian organizations to operate without restriction throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

//Petra// AF