Daily Times

Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani, engaged in a telephone conversation with his Palestinian counterpart, Riyadh Al Malki, on Tuesday, extending heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Pakistani nation and government for the tragic loss of innocent Palestinian lives at the hands of Israeli occupying forces.

In a social media post on his official handle, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and emphasized the nation’s solidarity with Palestine. He stated, “I called HE Riyadh Al Malki, FM of Palestine to offer condolences of People and govt of Pakistan. Told him that Palestinians aren’t alone in the face of Israeli aggression and that Pakistan stands in solidarity with them. FM Malki expressed gratitude for the support/humanitarian assistance.”

Furthermore, Pakistan has dispatched a second consignment of relief goods destined for Gaza, as announced by Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson via Twitter. Foreign Minister Jilani personally oversaw the logistics of this relief shipment at Islamabad airport, intended to aid the residents of Gaza who are enduring the relentless Israeli bombardments. During this critical moment, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to standing by its brothers and sisters in Gaza during these challenging times.

In the midst of these developments, Israel provided civilians still trapped inside the freshly encircled Gaza City with a four-hour window to leave, and residents escaping reported passing tanks positioned for a possible storming of the city. Israel has declared that its forces have surrounded Gaza City, which is home to a third of the enclave’s 2.3 million people, and they are prepared to initiate a campaign to target Hamas, who attacked Israeli towns exactly a month ago. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 10,000 people killed, approximately 40 per cent of them children, according to health officials in Gaza.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Volcker Turk expressed his concern, stating, “It has been one full month of carnage, of incessant suffering, bloodshed, destruction, outrage, and despair.” Turk emphasised that human rights violations are at the core of the ongoing escalation, and they play a central role in finding a way out of this crisis of suffering.