ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram on Friday criticized the states that voted against a ceasefire in Gaza at the General Assembly, asking them to “search their conscience” and support the cause following the death of over 9,400 Palestinians.
Akram made the statement during a briefing of UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) hours before the Gazan health ministry said about 2,200 people were buried under rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli attacks.
The Pakistani diplomat noted that despite the overwhelming call by the UN General Assembly for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce and ceasefire, Israel’s campaign of bombardment and now a ground offensive had continued uninterrupted.
He described the Israeli offensive against Palestinian civilians as “cowardly aggression,” adding the world was witnessing a “human tragedy of epic proportions” in Gaza and the West Bank.
“I would appeal to those who voted against the resolution of the General Assembly calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian support and to those who abstained on that resolution and I would urge them to search their conscience and see if they could not now express their support for the ceasefire, express their support for the humanitarian relief that is required [and] express their support for the observance of international humanitarian law,” Akram said.
“We will raise this issue again and again until we have an answer,” he added.
The Pakistani envoy said some UN officials had described Israel’s military campaign as “genocide,” adding the world would remember the “war crimes and crimes against humanity” being committed in Gaza.
He also paid tribute to UNRWA for carrying out its responsibilities despite tough circumstances while remembering its 72 Palestinian staff members who were killed in Israeli bombings in recent weeks.
“We trust that the secretary-general, once the dust is settled, will honor the 72 martyrs of UNRWA in the same way as we honor our foreign UN peacekeepers,” he added. “We have not heard a word of commendation and condolence and we would like to hear that for these 72 martyrs.”
