—— Islamabad equates Israel’s siege, bombardment of Gaza with genocide of Palestinians
—— FM says complete seige of Gaza creating major humanitarian crisis
—— Adds this is genocide being committed by Israel against poor people of Palestine
—— Demands Palestinian right to self-determination must be respected
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday denounced the relentless bombardment and complete blockade of Gaza by Israeli forces, equating the unfolding humanitarian crisis with the genocide of Palestinians.
“We also condemn the siege of Gaza which is very unfortunate […] that they have no water, health facility and food which is creating a major humanitarian crisis that can be equated with genocide,” Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbasi Jillani said on Sunday. The foreign minister was addressing the media at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
The statement comes amid the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza with a complete blockade imposed by Israel in response to a surprise Hamas attack on Israeli cities. Israel has warned around 1.1 million Gazans living in the north of the Palestinian territory to flee to the south ahead of a ground incursion which the military has indicated will focus on Gaza City, the base of the leadership of the Hamas group.
Health officials in Gaza have reported that Israel’s airstrikes have led to over 2,200 casualties, with a significant proportion being civilians.
“[…] this is genocide being committed by Israel against poor people of Palestine. There is no doubt that Israel has committed aggression,” the foreign minister said while referring to the situation in the besieged territory.
FM Jillani also urged Israel to respect the international law and UN resolutions on Palestine which recognised their right to self-determination
The foreign minister said the ongoing Hamas-Israel war is a result of seven decades of illegal occupation of the Palestinians territories by Israeli forces.
“Any attempt to equate Israel that is aggressor with that of Palestinian struggle is unacceptable for Pakistan. Pakistan would demand that Palestinian right to self-determination must be respected,” he added.
The FM said occupied Palestinian territories must be vacated in line with the UN resolutions on a two-state solution. “Separate state status should be accepted not only by Israel but by the international community with pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital this is a consistent position of Pakistan.”
He said Pakistan was also in touch with UN and international aid agencies to provide aid immediate humanitarian aid for the besieged people of Gaza.
‘Situation is catastrophic’
Israeli troops prepared on Sunday for a ground assault on Gaza Strip as the country has vowed to annihilate the Hamas fighters in retaliation for a rampage in which its fighters stormed through Israeli towns eight days ago.
Prior to carrying out a ground assault, Israel ordered over one million Palestinians in the northern region of Gaza to evacuate and relocate to the south.
As a result, humanitarian organisations expressed deep concerns over the impending crisis that may ensue.
Alarm has grown over the fate of Palestinian civilians in blockaded and besieged Gaza – one of the world´s most densely populated areas, home to 2.4 million — if it becomes the scene of intense urban combat and house-to-house fighting.
Aid agencies have said forcing Gazans to move is impossible while the war rages.
But with food, water, fuel and medical supplies running low because of an Israeli blockade, aid agencies are warning of a deepening humanitarian crisis.
“The situation is catastrophic,” said Jumaa Nasser, who travelled from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza with his wife, mother and seven children.
“We´ve had no food or sleep. We don´t know what to do. I´ve given my fate up to God,” he told AFP.
The World Health Organisation said Saturday that forcing thousands of hospital patients to evacuate to already overflowing hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip could be “tantamount to a death sentence”.
Exiled Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh accused Israel on Saturday of committing “war crimes” in Gaza but he ruled out any “displacement” of Gazans, including to Egypt.
On the diplomatic front, Chinese envoy Zhai Jun will visit the Middle East next week to push for a ceasefire and promote peace talks, state broadcaster CCTV reported Sunday.
Saudi Arabia has also pressed for an “immediate ceasefire”. Russia said it had asked the UN Security Council to vote on Monday on its ceasefire resolution.
International aid agencies, including the UN and Red Cross, plus several foreign diplomats are concerned about the feasibility of the evacuation plan.
“We fear an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” said Ivan Karakashian, of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
More than 423,000 Palestinians have already left their homes, and 5,540 homes have been destroyed, according to the United Nations.
