ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday condemned Israel for besieging the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, saying it had uprooted more than 150,000 Palestinians and disrupted food supplies to the area.
The Israeli military ordered the evacuation of parts of the city after announcing on Monday that its military would “forcefully operate” in the area.
The United Nations said a day earlier that the intensified hostilities in Khan Yunis had fueled another wave of internal displacement in Gaza that had affected about 182,000 people.
Israel announced during the week it had recovered the bodies of five captives who had been captured by Hamas on October 7, saying its forces had also killed nearly “100 terrorists.”
“The brutality in Khan Younis has displaced over 150,000 Palestinians,” the prime minister said in a statement released by his office in Islamabad. “The siege of Khan Younis has disrupted the supply of food and other essential items in the area. A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Palestine.”
The statement said Sharif condemned Israel’s action in Khan Yunis and expressed concern over the situation.
He asked the international community, including the United Nations, to fulfill its responsibilities to end Israel’s military campaign.
“Israeli forces are committing the grave crime of genocide against Palestinians,” he continued. “We reiterate the demand for the implementation of the recent decisions of the International Court of Justice regarding Palestine and the UN resolutions.”
Sharif said his government had sent 1,200 tons of relief goods through six Pakistan Air Force planes and 1,500 tons via three ships to Palestine.
He also highlighted special arrangements made by his country for Palestinian medical students to continue their education in Pakistan.
“The international community should hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and bring it to justice,” he added.
Israel launched its air and ground offensive targeting Gaza last October following a surprise attack by Hamas in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostages.
The Palestinian group said its attack was in response to the deteriorating condition of Palestinian people living under occupation.
Israel’s response was widely viewed as disproportionate by the international community in which over 39,000 people, mostly women and children, have died.
Israel was taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa on the allegation of committing genocide where other nations joined the proceedings as well.

With input from AP