Pakistan's Foreign Office denounced Israel's deliberate targeting of Gaza hospital, where civilians sought shelter and emergency care
A Palestinian child injured in an Israeli air strike is carried inside the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern of Gaza Strip, on October 17, 2023. AFP
Pakistan's Foreign Office denounced the deliberate targeting of a hospital, where innocent civilians sought shelter and emergency care an inhumane and indefensible act.
The Foreign Office decried the attacks on civilian populations and facilities as a grave violation of international law, raising concerns of potential war crimes.
The deadliest attack on the hospital in Gaza has left over 500 Palestinians martyred. Palestinian health authorities attribute the blast to an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military brazenly contends it was caused by a failed rocket launch by a Palestinian militant group.
The incident stands as the bloodiest single occurrence in Gaza since Israel initiated a relentless bombing campaign in retaliation for a deadly cross-border Hamas assault on southern Israeli communities earlier in October.
The timing of this event, on the eve of US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, underscores the gravity of the situation. President Biden's visit aimed to demonstrate support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, the ruling group in the Gaza Strip. It also sought to address strategies for minimising civilian casualties amid the ongoing hostilities.
The Palestinian Health Minister, Mai Alkaila, accused Israel of perpetrating a massacre, with varying casualty estimates. In contrast, the Israeli military impudently denied involvement in the hospital blast, asserting that the explosion resulted from a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad military group.
Israel's explanation pointed to an analysis of IDF operational systems, indicating that a rocket barrage fired by Gaza-based militants passed near the Al Ahli hospital before the explosion. Intelligence sources cited by the Israel Defense Forces place the blame on Islamic Jihad for the failed rocket launch.
Daoud Shehab, a spokesperson for Islamic Jihad, refuted these claims, stating that they were a fabrication. He accused Israel of attempting to cover up what he called a horrifying crime and massacre against civilians.
The hospital attack in Gaza has triggered widespread protests and anger across the occupied territories. In Ramallah, Palestinian security forces confronted protesters who expressed their discontent, with similar clashes reported in other West Bank cities under the Palestinian Authority's rule.
Bilawal slams Israel over Gaza hospital attack
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari inveigh against Israel over Tuesday's attack on the hospital in Gaza. The deadliest attack on the Gaza hospital has amplified tensions in the region and raised concerns about the ongoing conflict.
"Today’s savage attack by Israeli Occupation Forces on baptist hospital in central Gaza is an egregious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, specifically the Geneva Convention," he said.
"It’s a morally reprehensible crime which violates the principles of humanity and the laws of war by attacking unarmed civilians, sick and wounded including children needing care at a protected medical facility."
Bilawal said, "Warrants not just the condemnation in strongest terms across the board but accountability through international legal mechanisms for these war crimes."
"UN and it’s member states must act towards immediate cessation of hostilities, operationalization of humanitarian corridor for safe passage of civilians and allowing humanitarian aid."
