On Thursday, President Dr. Arif Alvi showed support for the Palestinian people by visiting the Palestine Embassy in Islamabad, while his country also sent tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, who are suffering under Israel’s siege.
In a meeting with Palestinian Ambassador Ahmed Jawad Rabei, Alvi reportedly expressed Pakistan’s government and people’s support for the Palestinian cause.
“The United Nations should debate the atrocities that happened in Palestine, and the UNSC should pass a resolution to stop Israeli atrocities,” stated Alvi.
There is no diplomatic connection between Pakistan and Israel.
Alvi cautioned that the OIC should make a clear statement in support of Palestine because such violent measures increased the likelihood of enmity leading to additional wars.
“On behalf of the Pakistani people, I would want to express my strong disapproval of the recent violence in Gaza, Israel’s disproportionate response, and the continued apartheid that has persisted there for the past 30–40 years. We strongly disagree with the brutality and killing of innocent people. More than 500 people lost their lives because of the bombing of a hospital in Gaza. The president stated that all of this only leads to further animosity.
A first shipment of humanitarian aid was said to be headed from Islamabad to the beleaguered Gaza Strip via Egypt on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a chartered plane left Islamabad bound for Egypt with 100 tons of much-needed medical supplies, tents, and blankets. At the weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch indicated that these supplies would be sent to Gaza via Egypt.
Concern for our Palestinian family in Gaza continues to weigh heavily on Pakistan. We strongly condemn the Israeli assault and embargo, especially the recent attack on a Gaza hospital,” she added, adding that Tel Aviv’s actions “violate international humanitarian and human rights legislation.”
The Pakistani capital of Islamabad has condemned what it calls “deliberate” Israeli assaults on civilian targets as “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” and has urged for an immediate ceasefire, an end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow unhindered relief supplies into the territory.
Since the 7th of October, when Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise onslaught including a barrage of missile launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air, the territory of Gaza has been under Israeli bombardment and embargo. The Israeli government justified the incursion as a response to the violent storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other acts of defiance by Jewish settlers.
Operation Swords of Iron was then started by the Israeli military against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Without electricity, water, food, gasoline, and medical supplies are all quickly running short in Gaza, creating a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.
A “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” has been called upon by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in an effort to reduce “epic human suffering.”
Since Israel began attacking Gaza in July 2014, at least 3,785 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis have lost their lives.
