Her Excellency the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and a member of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), Maryam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah affirmed that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is experiencing an unprecedented deterioration as a result of the comprehensive siege, acute shortages of food and medicine, and the collapse of essential service systems.She noted that the conditions facing civilians amount to grave violations of international humanitarian law, foremost among them collective punishment and the repeated targeting of civilians and vital civilian infrastructure.These remarks were made during her participation in three specialised meetings held as part of the 26th regular session of the IPHRC, convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Her Excellency Maryam bint Abdullah Al-Attiyah emphasised that the meetings provided an important platform for unifying perspectives within the OIC and for strengthening approaches grounded in international humanitarian law and human rights principles, in a manner that contributes to the protection of civilians, supports the most vulnerable groups, and reinforces international accountability.She stressed that the continued targeting of health facilities, educational institutions, and sources of water and electricity in Gaza and the West Bank undermines the most basic requirements of a dignified life and necessitates urgent international action to ensure immediate civilian protection and to halt systematic violations. In this context, she underscored the importance of integrating mental health and psychosocial support into the humanitarian response, given the profound psychological impact of the crisis, particularly on children and women.She stated that any peace plan concerning Gaza must be founded on clear principles that respect international law and guarantee the fundamental rights of the population, affirming that safe, unconditional, and sustained access for humanitarian assistance is an essential prerequisite for the success of any political or humanitarian track.She further emphasized that reconstruction efforts cannot proceed in isolation from justice and guarantees of non-recurrence, stressing the necessity of engaging Palestinians as the rightful stakeholders in determining their future.On accountability, she affirmed that supporting international investigations and co-operating with the International Criminal Court and relevant UN mechanisms constitutes a cornerstone in addressing impunity. She explained that documenting violations in accordance with international standards, strengthening the role of civil society organisations, and enhancing collective action within the OIC are all indispensable to ensuring that perpetrators of grave crimes are held to account.HE Al-Attiyah highlighted that humanitarian and development dimensions are no less important than political pathways, stressing the need to open safe humanitarian corridors, provide special protection for vulnerable groups -particularly women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities- and restore essential services such as health, education, water, and electricity as a minimum condition for ensuring a dignified standard of living.She noted that sustained diplomatic engagement, building on the outcomes of OIC meetings, the Saudi-French conference, and the 2025 Peace Summit in New York, represents an important avenue for unifying international positions and supporting the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.With regard to the human rights situation in Syria, al-Attiyah affirmed that the continuation of the conflict and its humanitarian repercussions necessitate strengthening the role of the IPHRC in monitoring conditions on the ground and producing neutral, periodic reports highlighting violations and humanitarian challenges, in cooperation with national institutions and UN agencies operating in the field.She explained that prioritising humanitarian assistance should focus on protecting children from violence, displacement, and recruitment; ensuring access to education in emergencies; and strengthening health system resilience through support for field hospitals and the provision of essential medical supplies. She emphasised that effective co-ordination among humanitarian actors is critical to avoiding duplication and improving the efficiency of interventions.She underscored the importance of developing partnership strategies within the OIC system through the adoption of clear frameworks for role distribution and the exchange of data and expertise, thereby maximising humanitarian impact and directing resources toward the most urgent priorities.She called for firm commitment to implementation through a ceasefire, the launch of a political process, the safe return of displaced persons, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance, alongside expanded international advocacy for relevant resolutions.During the meeting of the working group on the right to the family and the rights of women and children, al-Attiyah affirmed that guaranteeing girls' right to education is a non-negotiable human rights priority that must not be subject to discrimination or delay, particularly in conflict and post-conflict settings. She stressed the importance of national legislation, education-in-emergencies programs, the provision of safe learning environments, as well as psychosocial support and sustainable financing.She also warned that digital challenges, including Internet addiction, cyberviolence, and online exploitation, have become direct threats to children's rights, calling for comprehensive national policies to protect children in the digital space, effective partnerships with technology companies and civil society organisations, and the strengthening of media and information literacy.Furthermore, al-Attiyah emphasised that institutionalising the role of women in preventing violent extremism is a central pillar of national strategies, through their involvement in policymaking, support for women's networks, and enhanced regional co-operation within the OIC, contributing to the promotion of narratives grounded in tolerance and moderation.She said that strengthening co-operation among the IPHRC, OIC institutions, UN agencies, and national human rights bodies represents a fundamental entry point for advancing social policies that place the family at the core of the human rights system.

Israel's assassination of a senior Hamas commander threatens the viability of the Gaza ceasefire, the chief negotiator of the resistance group said Sunday, calling on US President Donald Trump to demand Israel comply with the terms of the truce.Thousands of Hamas supporters rallied in central Gaza City at a funeral for senior commander Raed Saed and three associates killed alongside him on Saturday.The mourners chanted "Martyrs are dear to God" and carried the bodies in coffins draped in green Hamas flags, in one of the group's biggest displays of its presence since a US-backed ceasefire deal came into effect in Gaza in October.In a televised address, Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who lives in exile, confirmed the killing of Saed, the highest-profile assassination of a senior Hamas figure since the truce."The continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement... and latest assassinations that targeted Saed and others threaten the viability of the agreement," Hayya said."We call on mediators, and especially the main guarantor, the US administration and President Donald Trump, to work on obliging Israel to respect the ceasefire and commit to it."The Hamas armed wing said later Sunday it has chosen a replacement for Saed.Hamas sources have described Saed as the second-in-command of the group's armed wing, after Izzeldeen Al-Hadad.Hamas has not identified an overall chief since Israel killed the group's head, Yehya Al-Sinwar, in 2024. Instead, the group has since been led by a five-man high leadership council, of which Hayya is a member.Since the ceasefire, Israeli forces remain in control of the depopulated eastern half of Gaza, while the resistance group has reasserted its control over the western half, where nearly all of the enclave's more than 2 million people live in the ruins.