ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday condemned a recent Israeli airstrike that killed several civilians in Gaza, demanding the world take “decisive action” to hold the Jewish state accountable.
The statement came two days after Gaza’s civil defense agency said at least 34 people, including more than a dozen civilians who were waiting to collect aid, were killed by Israeli fire.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the country strongly condemns the Israeli airstrike and extends its condolences to families of the victims, reaffirming its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“This egregious attack constitutes yet another serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, underscoring the scale and severity of the crimes perpetrated by the occupying power,” it said in a statement.
“The Government of Pakistan calls upon the international community to take immediate and decisive action to end Israeli impunity, ensure the protection of civilians, and hold Israel accountable for its actions.”
Hours before the statement, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups.
“Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues were among the last remaining voices in Gaza conveying the tragic reality to the world,” Al Jazeera said.
More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began pounding the territory on Oct. 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The Foreign Office once again reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian cause and called for a just, sustainable and peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions that uphold the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
“This includes the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous Palestinian State, based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,’ it added.
