It’s a Death Countdown for Gaza – Yet the World Hesitates to Force the Siege to End

Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations) – MAPIM
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Press Statement
22 May 2025 | Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) strongly condemns the continued blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupation. For three consecutive days, humanitarian and relief aid trucks have been denied entry, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis for more than 2.4 million Palestinians.

This blockade, a blatant violation of international law, is not merely a political act—it is a systematic weaponization of starvation and deprivation. The Israeli occupation is deliberately using food, medicine, and fuel as tools of war, risking mass death among a civilian population already devastated by relentless bombings and systematic destruction.

80 days have passed since crossings have been effectively closed. The occupation has reneged on its promises to facilitate aid. This is nothing less than collective punishment, and it confirms Israel’s intent to destroy Palestinian life not just with missiles, but by choking the very essentials of survival.

We affirm the following:

1. The continued blockade is a war crime. The denial of life-saving aid constitutes a gross violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
2. Israel bears full legal and moral responsibility for the death, starvation, and suffering caused by its siege.
3. The United Nations and international institutions have failed to act with the urgency required. Condemnation without enforcement is complicity.
4. The Muslim world, in particular, must move beyond statements. The time for passive diplomacy is over. Immediate, united, and forceful intervention is required.

MAPIM demands:

1. The immediate opening of all crossings into Gaza.
2. The deployment of an international humanitarian protection mission under UN or OIC auspices.
3. The activation of international legal mechanisms to hold Israel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
4. The mobilization of worldwide civil society—especially labor unions, student groups, and religious institutions—to escalate boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) efforts.

This is no longer a crisis—it is a death countdown. How many more children must die before the world says, “Enough”?

MAPIM reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the people of Gaza and calls upon all people of conscience to rise in global moral resistance against apartheid, colonization, and genocide.

End the Siege. Break the Silence. Save Gaza.

Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid
President, MAPIM