Baghdad:Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, announced that the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers has agreed to designate October 17 as a day to commemorate the genocide following the bombing of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, where 500 Palestinians were killed.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Shahin revealed this decision during a press conference in Baghdad, highlighting the success of the session’s meetings, which extended beyond appeals and condemnations. The meetings were described as a testament to Iraq’s recovery and progress.

The ongoing situation in Palestine was a central issue during the two-day meetings, where participating nations emphasized the need to address the starvation, killings, displacement, and human rights violations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. They urged an end to the ongoing war, citing that despite a peace memorandum reached in Sharm El-Sheikh, violence continues, aid delivery is obstructed, and settler violence in the West Bank is widespread.

The final statement from the session calls for concrete actions to halt settlement expansion and prevent the “Judaization” of Jerusalem. Shahin criticized Israel’s actions, stating that they act with impunity, and welcomed legal deterrent measures by European countries, while urging other nations to implement similar actions against Israel.

Shahin also reaffirmed the commitment to follow up on the recommendations and outcomes from the session, emphasizing that all member states of the OIC are expected to uphold these measures.