African Heads of State pose for a group photograph before the opening ceremony of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa on February 17, 2024. (Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Leaders at an African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Saturday condemned Israel’s offensive in Gaza and called for its immediate end.
Moussa Faki, the chair of the African Union Commission, said Israel’s offensive was the "most flagrant” violation of international humanitarian law and accused Israel of having "exterminated” Gaza’s inhabitants.
Faki spoke alongside Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, who also addressed the summit.
"Rest assured we strongly condemn these attacks that are unprecedented in the history of mankind,” Faki said to applause from delegates. "We want to reassure you of our solidarity with the people of Palestine.”
Azali Assoumani, president of the Comoros and the outgoing chairperson of the African Union, praised the case brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice while condemning "the genocide Israel is committing in Palestine under our nose.”
"The international community cannot close its eyes to the atrocities that are committed, that have not only created chaos in Palestine but also have disastrous consequences in the rest of the world,” Assoumani said.
A quarter of Gaza’s residents are starving because of the war.
