Pakistan denounces Israeli strikes on Gaza, urges protection for Palestinians
Assalamu alaikum - Pakistan’s foreign office on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, calling them violations of the ceasefire and urging the international community to act to protect Palestinian lives.
Gaza’s fragile truce was tested when Israeli forces carried out strikes after saying two of their soldiers had been killed. Gaza’s health ministry reported that 45 Palestinians were killed in those strikes, while Hamas denied involvement. An Israeli security source said aid deliveries were paused during the renewed fighting, though the military later said the ceasefire enforcement had resumed.
"Pakistan strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives," the foreign office said. It added that such actions are at odds with the spirit of the peace agreement signed recently in Sharm El-Sheikh in the presence of leaders from the Muslim and Arab world, the US, Europe, and the UN.
The Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh earlier this month, co-hosted by Egyptian leadership and attended by officials from many countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, France, the UK and the Palestinian Authority, endorsed a declaration to end hostilities, guarantee humanitarian access, and set a roadmap for Gaza’s governance and rebuilding.
Islamabad called on the world to take effective steps to stop these violations, ensure full implementation of the ceasefire, and protect Palestinian civilians. The foreign office also reiterated Pakistan’s support for an independent Palestinian state on the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, the conflict in Gaza has caused a very high number of casualties, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting over 68,000 deaths - figures the UN regards as credible. Pakistan and many other Muslim countries continue to condemn the violence and press for an unconditional ceasefire and immediate humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.
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