US a main side of Gaza war continuation, failure of efforts to stop it: Iran FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the United States is one main side to blame for the continuation of Israel's war in Gaza and obstruction of efforts to cease it.  

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a post on his Instagram account on the occasion of International Quds Day, marked on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, to express solidarity with Palestinians and condemn Israeli atrocities.

He said the day is commemorated this year under circumstances that the world is witnessing one of the "biggest" cases of "crimes and genocide in history."

"The recent crimes of Zionists against Palestinians can be undoubtedly considered as violations of the most evident fundamentals of human rights and a conspicuous manifestation of crimes against humanity, genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, combined," he wrote.

He emphasized that the deep humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, over the past six months manifests "another painful and unfortunate side of the historical breach of the rights of the oppressed but steadfast Palestinians."

"It is also a manifestation of the open imposition of force and coercion as well as various internationally-known murders and crimes against the original and authentic inhabitants of Palestine by the illegitimate and impermanent Israeli regime," the top Iranian diplomat emphasized.

He called on the international community, the United Nations Security Council, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to take effective preventive and punitive actions to counter Israel's ongoing genocide and mass murder in Gaza.

UN says 62 percent of homes in Gaza destroyed in Israeli strikes

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has left more than 60 percent of homes in the besieged strip either damaged or destroyed.

Amir-Abdollahian criticized the international community, especially the United Nations and its Security Council, for failing to take action despite six months of Israel's brutal attacks in Gaza.

"It's evident that the US has been one of the main players for the continuation of the war and failure of measures to bring it to an end," he stressed.

The Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that urgent humanitarian aid would be dispatched to Gaza in view of the efforts of the Muslim states and the practical responsibility of the world community to save its oppressed people from famine before the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

More than 180 days into the onslaught, at least 33,091 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, with 75,750 others injured, mostly women and children.

Tel Aviv has also blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the coastal strip into a humanitarian crisis.

Quds Day is an annual pro-Palestinian event held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to express support for Palestinians and oppose Israel and Zionism. The event, initiated by the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, was first held in 1979 in Iran, shortly after the Islamic Revolution.

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