“The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, medical services, educational institutions civic services, and medical workers defy all norms of international humanitarian law and laws of armed conflict,” he said during an urgent ministerial meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Wednesday.

Jilani led Pakistan’s delegation in the OIC moot, co-convened by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

The foreign minister called for “an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors to ensure food, water, medicines, fuel and other essential supplies to the Palestinians in Gaza.”

Read: One million Gazans flee as Israel readies for ground attack

Condemning Israeli air strikes on civilians, Jilani called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its use of indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force which amounts to war crimes.

He went on to add that the root cause of the violence in the region was due to prolonged and illegal occupation of Palestine.