ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan and Egypt have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and expressed “unequivocal support” for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as they met on the sidelines of a summit of the D-8 developing group of nations to be held today, Wednesday, in Cairo.
Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar, who is also the country’s foreign minister, on Tuesday held a meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, on the sidelines of the 21st Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also leave for Egypt today, Wednesday, to participate in the Eleventh Summit of D-8 countries, during which Israel’s military offensive on Gaza and the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction efforts in the besieged enclave as well as in neighboring Lebanon are expected to be at the center of discussions.
“The two Foreign Ministers discussed regional developments including the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and atrocities in the West Bank, highly criticizing the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement. “They called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent further loss of innocent Palestinian lives.”
Dar appreciated the role played by Egypt to facilitate humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza and its diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire in Palestine.
“The two Foreign Ministers also expressed unequivocal support for establishment of a viable, contiguous and independent Palestinian state based on pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” the foreign office said.
Health officials in the Gaza Strip said on Monday the death toll from the 14-month war between Israel and Hamas had topped 45,000 people.
The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The theme of this year’s D-8 Summit is “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”
“At the Summit, the Prime Minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs for building a strong and inclusive economy; creating jobs; advancing innovation; and promoting local entrepreneurship,” the foreign office said.
“He will express Pakistan’s strong commitment to the ideals of D-8; underscore the importance of fostering partnerships for mutual benefit and prosperity; and promoting cooperation in agriculture, food security and tourism. He will also underline Pakistan’s incentives for youth empowerment and financial development.”
Sharif will also attend a special session on the war in Gaza and Lebanon.
