Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU), strongly denounced the Israeli assaults on the Palestinian Gaza Strip, labeling them as a "war of extermination" and urging the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"The suffering of the Palestinian people, deprived of their fundamental rights to freedom and to the constitution of a viable and sovereign State, is being compounded before our eyes by a war of extermination," the AU chairperson said during the inaugural address at the 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.
In a call for immediate intervention by the global community, Mahamat highlighted the alarming acceptance of indiscriminate violence by many influential nations, emphasizing the need for decisive action.
Furthermore, he urged for an end to hostilities, the release of all captives held by both sides, and a firm commitment to a peaceful solution based on the establishment of two states living harmoniously and in accordance with international law.
Mahamat commended the recent stance taken by the International Court of Justice and praised South Africa for its proactive approach to the ongoing Humanitarian crisis in Gaza. South Africa had lodged a formal complaint with the UN court, accusing Israel of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.
The ICJ's interim ruling in January supported South Africa's claims and ordered Israel to prevent genocidal activities and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Local authorities in Gaza reported a devastating toll of more than 28,300 Palestinian casualties, mostly women and children, with more than two million people displaced by Israeli military action since last October.
In addition to the Palestinian crisis, Mahamat underscored the prevalence of armed conflicts across Africa, spanning regions from Sudan to Somalia. He stressed the critical need for cooperative efforts to combat the manifold challenges posed by military coups, electoral violence, humanitarian crises stemming from warfare, and climate change-related adversities.