Pakistan condemns Israel’s Rafah ‘massacre’

Attack violates measures indicated by ICJ to protect people of Gaza from genocide, says FO

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Monday joined the rest of the international community to strongly condemn Israel’s latest military offensive in Rafah city in Gaza, where millions have taken refuge to avoid Israeli massacre.

Despite calls even by Israel’s close allies including the United States, Benjamin Netanyahu government went ahead with the offensive.

Dozens of people, including children, were killed as “extremely intense” Israeli airstrikes and shelling pounded multiple locations in Rafah overnight Monday, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, as international alarm mounts over Israel’s planned ground offensive in the southern Gazan city.

More than 100 people were killed due to Israeli airstrikes as warplanes targeted different areas of the city and helicopters fired machine guns along the border areas, the PRCS said early Monday.

Also read: Israel frees two captives as airstrikes kill 67 Palestinians

“Israel’s offensive in Rafah violates the provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice to protect the people of Gaza from genocide. It will further aggravate the humanitarian disaster witnessed in Gaza over the last four months and jeopardise the ongoing efforts for a potential ceasefire,” said a statement issued by the foreign office.

“We urge the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to take urgent measures to bring an immediate end to Israeli aggression and its incessant crimes against humanity,” the statement added.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Kingdom joined a growing list of countries to express concern over Israel’s planned offensive.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry warned of “very serious repercussions of storming and targeting” the city, while Qatar — a key mediator in talks between Israel and Hamas — on Sunday urged the UN’s Security Council to “prevent” Israel from committing what it described as “genocide” and warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe in the city.”