Iran asks Muslim world to designate Israel army ‘terrorist organisation’

RIYADH: Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday called on Muslim countries to designate Israel’s military as a “terrorist organisation”, citing its current ‘brutalities’ in the Gaza Strip.

The Iranian president made his remarks while addressing an extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, summoned to underscore demands that fighting in Gaza end before the Israel-Hamas war draws in other countries.

The emergency meeting of the Arab League and the OIC comes after Hamas’ October 7 attacks that Israeli officials say left about 1,400 people dead.

Israel’s subsequent aerial and ground attacks have killed more than 11,000 people, mostly civilians and many of them children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

“Islamic governments should designate the army of the occupying and aggressor regime as a terrorist organisation,” Ebrahim Raisi told the summit.

He hailed Hamas for its fight against Israel and urged Islamic countries to launch sanctions against Israel. “There is no other way but to resist Israel, we kiss the hands of Hamas for its resistance against Israel,” Raisi said.

The Iran’s president also held United States (US) of America ‘equally responsible’ for the genocide in Gaza, saying that US was supporting Israel in the UN and vetoes resolutions that prevent the killing of Palestinians.

“It has paved the way for Israel to kill more, to bombard more and to shell more,” he added.

Raisi called for “cutting any sort of political or economic relations with the Zionist regime” as important steps to be taken by Islamic countries.

Implementing a “trade boycott against the Zionist regime especially in the energy field should be prioritised,” he added.

Gaza war

A spokesperson for the Palestinian health ministry said a baby died in an incubator at Gaza’s largest hospital after the facility lost power, and another person was killed by an Israel’s shell in intensive care.

“The situation is worse than anyone can imagine. We are besieged inside the Al Shifa Medical Complex, and the occupation has targeted most of the buildings inside,” said Qidra, who represents the health ministry in Gaza.

The Israel’s military said that Hamas fighters have placed command centres under Shifa hospital and others in Gaza, making them vulnerable to being considered military targets.

Hamas has denied using civilians as human shields and health officials say growing numbers of Israeli strikes on or near hospitals put at risk patients, medical staff and thousands of evacuees who have taken shelter in and near their buildings.