Pakistan condemns deadly Israeli raids on Palestinians

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned the killing of ten Palestinians, including an elderly woman, by Israeli forces in what is being described as deadliest attack in West Bank.

A day earlier, Israeli forces raided a Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank and killed nine Palestinians, the highest single-day death toll in years, and left over 20 injured.

In the wee hours of Friday, Israeli forces launched multiple air attacks on the blockaded Gaza Strip, targeting al-Maghazi refugee camp in the centre of the territory. The al-Zaitoun neighbourhood in the south and Beit Hanoun in north of Gaza City were also hit in the air raids.

There are no immediate reports of causalities in the Friday air strikes. 

In a tweet, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said: "Israel continues to massacre innocent Palestinians with impunity. Killing of 10 Palestinians including an elderly woman in Occupied West Bank calls for the strongest condemnation".

"Sustainable peace in ME (Middle East) is linked to two-state solution. Pakistan stands with people of Palestine," he concluded.

The Foreign Office issued a separate condemnation against the brutal Israeli attack on Palestinians. It denounced the spate of reprehensible, cold blooded and murderous attacks that have already killed thirty Palestinians this month.

It said Pakistan called upon the international community to assume its responsibility in bringing these illegal incursions and actions by the Israeli occupation forces to a halt and ensuring adequate protection of the human rights of the Palestinian people.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan reiterates its strong and unwavering support to the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people for full realization of their fundamental rights including the right to self-determination.

It said the people and the government of Pakistan extend sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families of victims and best wishes for full and swift recovery of the injured in this brutal attack.

The statement said Pakistan renews its call for a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State, with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC resolutions.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of Palestine, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said the security coordination with Israel has been severed due to repeated aggression against Palestinians. He announced to file complaints in the UN Security Council and International Court of Justice.

The United Arab Emirates, China and France have asked the UNSC to hold a session behind closed doors on Friday over the attacks.