New York: The situation in Gaza is extremely alarming, said Pakistani envoy Asim Iftikhar, addressing the international community. He emphasized that the entire world is watching these events unfold in a state of uncertainty.
Asim Iftikhar strongly condemned the shooting of civilians and the deliberate starvation of the entire population, stating that there is no justification for such actions. He stressed that collective punishment of the besieged people cannot be justified under any circumstances.
The Pakistani envoy demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. He called for urgent international intervention to stop the violence and address the humanitarian crisis in the region.
At the same time, the Pakistani envoy called for the release of Israeli hostages, saying it violated international law and was ‘totally unacceptable.” He also referred to the testimony to the Council of Ilay David, whose brother Eyvatar David, is a hostage , along with 48 other hostages, hoping that he would be reunited with the family.
In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad underscored the gravity of the situation, saying 60,000 Gazans have been killed, including 18,500 children. “Palestinian children have been killed at a rate more than 1 per hour since the war began.”
Around 9,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women are currently imprisoned, around one-third without charge or trial, it was pointed out.
Asim Iftikhar drew attention of the Council about the “horrible” consequences of the Israeli blockade of Gaza: at least 175 Palestinians, including 93 children, have died of starvation.
Even the delivery of humanitarian aid has become deadly, with over 1,200 aid-related killings documented since May, he said.
“This war on civilians must end,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar said.
Pakistan, he said, called for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal, the release of hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access.
“The initial phase of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States led to the release of 33 hostages. But for Israel’s unilateral abandonment of the ceasefire, further releases could not take place.”
“We further call for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2735, which presents a viable, actionable roadmap to end hostilities and deliver desperately needed aid.”
In this regard, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar emphasized the need for addressing the root cause of this ongoing tragedy: that is the Israel’s prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
‘As long as this occupation endures, peace will remain elusive,” he told delegates.
On the other hand,the French envoy expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis arising from food shortages in Gaza. The envoy urged Israel to immediately open all corridors to ensure the delivery of aid. He emphasized that the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli hostages remains a top priority.
He further said, obstacles in the way of delivering aid to Gaza are unacceptable, also reiterated that the only solution to the Palestinian issue is the two-state solution.
