Gaza: The OIC’s Complicit Silence in the Face of Genocide

While children in Gaza starve to death under Israeli bombardment, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) remains silent, igniting widespread anger across the Muslim world. Founded in 1969 with a mission to support the Palestinian cause, the OIC now appears to have abandoned its commitment in the face of what many observers are calling genocide.

Since October 7, Israel has waged a deadly offensive in Gaza. According to available figures, over 52,760 people have been killed—including 18,000 children and 12,400 women. More than 119,000 civilians have been wounded, with thousands still missing under the rubble. Despite this humanitarian catastrophe, the OIC has done little beyond issuing statements of condemnation, taking no concrete action.

Calls are growing for immediate sanctions: closing ports to Israeli ships, suspending trade, and banning Israeli aircraft from Muslim airspace. "The time for words is over—now is the time for action," urge civil society leaders and officials.

Israel stands accused of using starvation as a weapon of war. Since the offensive began, its military has bombed 29 soup kitchens and 37 aid distribution centers. Over 37,400 humanitarian aid trucks remain blocked at the border.

To date, 57 Palestinians—including more than 50 children—have died of starvation, while 17 others have perished from extreme cold. NGOs on the ground warn that 65,000 children are at risk of death from malnutrition.

◉ 2,200 families completely wiped out (6,350 people erased from records)

◉ 5,120 families left with only one survivor

◉ 14,500 women widowed

◉ 41,000 children orphaned (one or both parents killed)

◉ 1,411 healthcare workers and 113 rescue workers killed

◉ 214 journalists dead, 409 wounded

◉ 362 medical professionals and 48 journalists detained by Israeli forces

Amid this horror, criticism of the OIC intensifies. Established to be the voice of the Muslim world, the organization remains paralyzed—even as non-Muslim nations condemn Israel’s atrocities. Its inaction is increasingly seen as passive complicity.