Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas's political bureau, has urged Arab and Islamic countries to take immediate and concrete action to confront the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, as Israel's continued restrictions on humanitarian aid and the onset of winter further compound the suffering of displaced Palestinian families.

In messages sent to Arab and Islamic countries, Al-Hayya stressed that the crisis in Gaza was no longer merely an emergency relief challenge or a consequence of war, but a humanitarian catastrophe shaped by what he described as Israel's deliberate starvation policies, systematic destruction of the foundations of civilian life, and continued obstruction of humanitarian assistance and essential reconstruction materials.

He emphasized the urgent need for international pressure to force Israel to fully honour its commitments under the ceasefire agreement, particularly the complete withdrawal of its occupation forces from the Gaza Strip and the implementation of the humanitarian protocol signed in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Hamas leader called for an emergency international campaign to deliver shelter materials, heating equipment and fuel to Palestinians enduring increasingly harsh winter conditions. He also urged urgent repairs to Gaza's devastated sewage and rainwater drainage networks, the rehabilitation of damaged facilities, and the establishment of safe and dignified shelters for displaced families who have been deprived of their homes.

Al-Hayya further called on Arab and Islamic countries to mobilize international support for a draft resolution compelling Israel to fulfil its humanitarian obligations and to press for an emergency UN Security Council session to address the devastating humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip. (ILKHA)