BRUSSELS

Ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in Brussels on Monday urged the international community, with a particular focus on the EU, to exert pressure on Israel to halt its ongoing assault on Gaza.

At a news conference in Brussels, the ambassadors of the 57-nation bloc read a statement calling upon the EU to undertake all necessary efforts to prompt an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire and bring an end to Israeli aggression against Gaza.

The statement emphasized the crucial role of the EU in holding Israel accountable for the war crimes committed in Gaza, underscoring that the Israeli attacks on Gaza cannot be justified as self-defense.

Furthermore, the statement stressed that the establishment of a Palestinian state within the borders of 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital, is the sole pathway to achieving lasting peace in the region.

The statement follows a joint Arab-Islamic summit held in Saudi Arabia, which also called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid.

As the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip entered its 38th day, at least 11,180 Palestinians have been killed, including over 7,700 children and women, and more than 28,200 others have been injured, according to the latest figures by Palestinian authorities.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel's relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave since last month.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,200, according to official figures.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar