Calling the Gaza war the “great moral crisis of the 21st century”, Hashemi said that aside from the US – Israel’s primary backer, Arab and Islamic nations have also failed to take action.
He pointed to Monday’s emergency summit in Doha, attended by heads of Arab and Islamic states, which ended with a strongly-worded condemnation of Israel but stopped short of any punitive measures.
“None of the Arab states that have diplomatic relations with Israel have decided to sever relations, to send Israel a message that it can’t continue a policy of genocide against Palestinians,” Hashemi told CNA’s Asia First programme.
“Because there are no significant punitive actions or consequences for the Israeli government, there’s no reason for them to stop their genocidal onslaught against the people of Gaza.”
MASS DISPLACEMENT AND HUNGER
The IDF estimated 40 per cent of Gaza City’s residents had fled. Hamas said 350,000 people had left eastern districts, with another 175,000 heading south.
Much of Gaza City was destroyed early in the war, but around 1 million people had since returned. The latest evacuation orders risk confining most of Gaza’s population to overcrowded coastal encampments short of food, medicine and shelter.
Three more people died of malnutrition in the past 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said, bringing reported hunger deaths to at least 428. Israel disputes those figures, saying the extent of hunger has been exaggerated.
The war began with Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, Israeli figures show. More than 64,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Israel’s military response, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
