JEDDAH/ISLAMABAD   -   The heinous killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh risks tipping the Middle East into “wider conflict,” the chair of a Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation tells a summit on Wednesday.

The comments from Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara came as a senior Iranian official said during the same meeting that the Islamic Republic would need to defend itself from Israel, which it blames for Haniyeh’s death last week in Tehran.

Iranian and Palestinian officials called for Wednesday’s gathering of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah, saying the body needed to respond to the killing of the Hamas leader. “This heinous act serves only to escalate the existing tensions potentially leading to a wider conflict that could involve the entire region,” says Tangara, whose country currently chairs the OIC.

Haniyeh’s killing “will not quell the Palestinian cause but rather it amplifies it, underscoring the urgency for justice and human rights for the Palestinian people,” he says.

“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation states are fundamental principles underpinning the international order,” he adds. “Respecting these principles has profound implications and their violation equally carries significant consequences.” Also, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar yesterday met with OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha on the sidelines of the Open-Ended Extraordinary Meeting of OIC Executive Committee in Jeddah.

They discussed the situation in Gaza and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Dar also discussed with the OIC secretary general the ongoing genocide of the Palestinians and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank. They stressed the urgency of a ceasefire and unhindered supply of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. The Deputy Prime Minister praised the OIC for its efforts for peace in the Middle East and expressed full support of Pakistan for its initiatives.

Ishaq Dar appreciated the historic role of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir and the Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir for supporting the legitimate right of self-determination of the Kashmiris as reflected in various OIC resolutions and statements.

Islamophobia, discrimination, and violence against Muslims were also discussed in the meeting.

He underscored the urgency of a ceasefire and unhindered supply of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar also met Foreign Minister of Algeria Ahmad Attaf. Noting the deep-rooted historic ties between the two countries, Deputy Prime Minister Dar and Foreign Minister Attaf agreed to further strengthen bilateral economic ties through enhanced trade and investment.

Dar also held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan on the sidelines of Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee of the OIC in Jeddah. Underscoring the OIC as an important platform for fostering dialogue and cooperation among member countries, the two Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to OIC’s principles of solidarity, cooperation, and mutual support sates.

They also highlighted the need for joint efforts to develop a coordinated response to emerging global challenges.