Pakistan, Arab states strongly condemn Israel’s Gaza ceasefire violations
Palestinian men re-erect a tent shelter, the day after the Israeli military shelled a tented camp housing displaced families, in the Gaza City. Photo: AFP
The foreign ministers of eight Muslim nations, including Pakistan, have strongly condemned Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, which have resulted in the killing and injury of more than a thousand Palestinians.
A joint statement issued by Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar said that Israel’s actions risk escalating tensions and undermining efforts aimed at consolidating calm and restoring stability, at a time when regional and international parties are working collectively to advance the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan and to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.
It added that these repeated violations constitute a direct threat to the political process and hinder ongoing efforts to create appropriate conditions for transitioning to a more stable phase in the Gaza Strip, both in terms of security and humanitarian conditions.
The statement stressed the necessity of full commitment to ensuring the success of the second phase of President Trump’s peace plan. It also called on all parties to fully uphold their responsibilities during this critical period and to exercise the utmost restraint in order to preserve and sustain the ceasefire.
The nations urged all sides to refrain from any actions that may undermine the current process and to create favorable conditions to move forward toward early recovery and reconstruction.
They further stressed advancing a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood, in accordance with international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.
A day ago, Israel carried out its heaviest airstrikes in Gaza in weeks, killing 30 people, including three children, in attacks on a police station, houses and tents, Palestinian health officials said, Reuters reported.
Hamas, which retains control of just under half of Gaza, said Israel violated the truce. It did not say whether any of its members or sites were struck in the attacks.
Violence has repeatedly shaken the ceasefire. Israeli fire has killed over 500 people, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials.
Reuters reported that Hamas is seeking to incorporate its 10,000 police officers into the new US-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, a demand likely to be opposed by Israel.