Pakistan strongly condemns Israeli strikes in Gaza, calls for international action
GAZA – Pakistan has sharply condemned a fresh wave of Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip, which reportedly killed and wounded numerous Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Pakistani Foreign Office said the attacks represented a “blatant violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the recently concluded peace agreement at Sharm El-Sheikh.”
The FO added that such actions undermine global efforts to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.
Pakistan urged the international community to take immediate steps to halt what it described as Israeli impunity and ceasefire violations, emphasizing the need to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.
Reiterating its longstanding stance, Pakistan called for the creation of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Civilian Casualties Reported Across Gaza
On Saturday, at least 22 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting residential homes and a civilian vehicle in multiple parts of Gaza, according to Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal. He said the victims included women, children, and elderly people, with several buildings completely destroyed.
- Gaza City:
- Five people killed in a drone strike near Abbas Junction.
- Four killed when a home on al-Labbabidi Street was hit.
- Central Gaza:
- Two killed in a strike near the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Deir al-Balah.
- Three killed when a home near Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp was struck.
- Seven killed in another attack on a home in Nuseirat’s Camp 2.
Bassal did not specify the locations of several additional casualties.
Elsewhere, medical sources reported that Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians near the al-Bureij camp in central Gaza and near Jabalia in the north.
The Israeli army issued a statement claiming its forces had “eliminated” a gunman who allegedly crossed the “yellow line,” a designated boundary separating army-controlled areas from Palestinian-populated zones.
Ongoing Strikes in Yellow Zone Areas
Residents reported fresh Israeli airstrikes and detonations targeting eastern Rafah, Khan Younis, al-Bureij, Deir al-Balah, and the Tuffah and Shujaiya neighborhoods of Gaza City. Israeli forces have been demolishing buildings and infrastructure in areas under their control, particularly within the so-called yellow zone in southern Gaza.
Similar bombardments, along with artillery fire and sporadic gunfire from Israeli vehicles positioned near the boundary, were reported in northern and central Gaza.
Israel continues to control more than 50% of the Gaza Strip under the current ceasefire arrangement. However, recent escalations east of the yellow line have resulted in widespread destruction and increased risk to civilians.
