Hundreds march in Pakistan’s capital to express solidarity with Palestine

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of men, women, and children marched in Pakistan’s capital city on Wednesday to express solidarity with Palestine, as civilian casualties mount in the besieged Gaza following Israel’s ruthless bombing of civilian targets in the area.
A full-scale military operation launched by Hamas on Saturday took Israel by surprise, killing at least 1,200 and injuring over 2,700, according to the Israeli military. Following the attack, which was the deadliest one launched against Israel in 50 years, Israel pounded civilian targets in Gaza, killing at least 1,055 people and wounding 5,184 others, according to Palestinian officials.
A large number of protesters carried Palestinian and Pakistani flags at the rally and held up placards that read “Free Palestine.”
“We have come here to save Gaza, to express our emotions,” Raja Fazil Hussain, a politician, said. “We stand with the Muslims of Gaza and until they are victorious, we will continue to stand with them.”
Ayesha Noor, a student, said participants of the rally knew what Palestinians were going through as they suffered Israeli brutalities.
“And we have the heart to accept that and to support that [the Palestinians’ cause], that is why we all support that. A cause that we stand by.”
Pakistan, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, has consistently called for an independent homeland for the people of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif/Jerusalem as its capital.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations have called for an end to hostilities in the region as the Israeli military announced a “full siege” of Gaza, including a ban on incoming food, water and fuel.