PM Imran, Dr Mahathir discuss 'grave situation' in Palestine

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday received a telephone call from Malaysia's former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as both leaders exchanged views on the grave situation in Palestine, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

It said that both condemned the Israeli aggression and expressed solidarity with the innocent and defenceless Palestinians. The prime minister strongly condemned the attacks on innocent worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and airstrikes on Gaza.

The two leaders underscored the need for the international community to take urgent steps to halt the ongoing attacks, protect the civilians, and facilitate a just and lasting solution based on UN resolutions and two-state vision, the statement added.

The two leaders also greeted each other on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Fitr, it further said.

Read more: UN chief calls on Israel, Palestine to return to negotiations for 2-state solution

The development comes as Israeli continued its airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday, killing 33 more including 13 children, Gaza health officials said and Palestinian fighters fired rockets into Israel as hostilities stretched into a seventh day.

The pre-dawn attacks were on houses in the centre of Gaza City, health officials said. A spokesman for the Israeli military said he would look into these reports.

The death toll in Gaza jumped to 181, including 52 children, since the fighting erupted last Monday. In Israel, 10 people including two children have been killed in rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups.

Earlier today, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held telephonic conversations with his Chinese and Sudanese counterparts over the rapidly evolving situation in Palestine.

Speaking to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Qureshi shared Pakistan’s concern for the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories which, he stressed, was becoming a major threat to peace and security of the Middle East.

Also read: OIC condemns Israel’s ‘barbaric attacks’ against Palestinians

The minister, making his stance clear on the issue, said that the violent attacks perpetrated by Israeli forces against the innocent worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and unarmed civilians and the children in the occupied territories were against humanitarian norms as well as the international law.

The foreign minister underlined the importance of urgent steps by the international community to stop the Israeli attacks, protect the civilian population, facilitate engagement of the parties and ensure a just and lasting solution based on the relevant UNSC resolutions and the two-state vision.

Qureshi also briefed Wang Yi about PM Imran Khan’s outreach to world leaders in addressing the current serious situation.

On Wednesday, PM Imran and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to work together especially at the United Nations in jointly mobilising the international community to help stop heinous attacks by Israel on Palestine.

The two leaders exchanged views during a telephone call made by the Turkish president, PMO statement had said.

It said that the two leaders exchanged views on Israel’s heinous attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the worshippers inside as well as on Gaza during Ramazan, violating all norms of humanity and international laws.