Tunis: The Islamic Committee of the International Crescent of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued the Tunis Declaration on the humanitarian situation in the Islamic world in light of the worsening crises experienced by many Islamic countries, and within the framework of efforts to enhance joint humanitarian action.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, this announcement came on the occasion of the Committee’s thirty-eighth session, held in Tunis on May 26 and 27, 2025, which was attended by the Tunisian Red Crescent. Representatives from the National Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies of Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Turkey, and Guinea participated, along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization, the Islamic Solidarity Fund, the Islamic Organization for Food Security, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as an observer.
The declaration expresses deep concer
n about the deteriorating humanitarian situations in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, and other areas, where millions of civilians are living under the burden of displacement, hunger, and lack of basic services.
The Committee condemned the ongoing grave violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the civilian population in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, most of them children and women, and the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, health centers, schools, and shelters.
Additionally, the Committee condemned the systematic targeting of medical personnel and relief teams, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid, in violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. These actions are seen as a systematic policy of starvation and collective siege.
The declaration calls on the internati
onal community, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and UN humanitarian agencies to take urgent and effective action to halt these crimes, ensure international protection for civilians and medical and relief workers, guarantee the unconditional delivery of humanitarian aid, and open safe corridors to provide relief to the besieged population.
It also urges all member states, humanitarian and relief organizations, and international partners to redouble their efforts to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and enhance sustainable relief and community development programs.
The Committee stressed the need for full adherence to the principles of neutrality, independence, and humanity, rejecting any attempts to politicize humanitarian action or use it as a tool of pressure or influence.
Lastly, the declaration commended all initiatives and efforts made by member states and national and international relief organizations to alleviate the suffering of those affected. It called for strengthening coordination
mechanisms and information exchange among humanitarian organizations, activating rapid response units to combat disasters, and strengthening partnerships with relevant regional and international bodies.