A post on the X account of Iran’s Supreme Leader on Monday warned Muslim states against aiding Israel or blocking Gaza aid, as Iran's foreign minister accused the Jewish state of imposing starvation on civilians and described its actions as war crimes.
“Today isn’t the time to remain silent regarding Gaza,” the post on Khamenei's official X account. “Muslim governments have heavy responsibilities. If any Muslim government backs the Zionist regime in any form and blocks aid to Palestine, they must know with certainty that an eternal mark of disgrace will stain their reputation.”
His comments came amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, during a war that began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza warned Sunday that hundreds could die as hospitals fill with patients weakened by hunger and collapsing aid access, while the UN said civilians face starvation without urgent assistance.
According to the ministry, at least 67 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday. The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has since killed over 58,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident in a post on X on Monday, calling it “a blatant example of war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Araghchi said Israel had used measures such as depriving civilians of water, medicine, and food, and blamed both the United States and Israel for what he called “death traps” at aid distribution sites.
In a separate statement on Telegram, Araghchi said he spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who currently chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and called for an emergency OIC summit to address what he described as “genocide in Gaza” and “Israeli aggression in the region.”
