https://arab.news/jttqp
- Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Qatar, Türkiye issued joint statement
- Israel has carried out relentless airstrikes in Gaza since last week, killing at least 19 Palestinians on Saturday
ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan and seven other Muslim states on Thursday condemned Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, warning that continued strikes threaten to undermine global efforts to implement the peace plan in the territory.
Israel has continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes since last week, killing as far as 19 people on Saturday. The strikes followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that a deal to disarm Hamas had been reached.
A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE condemned Israel’s ongoing violations in Gaza.
“The ministers affirm that the continuation of these violations constitutes a clear breach of Israel’s obligations under international law and the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, undermines international and regional efforts aimed at implementing the second phase of the plan,” the joint statement read.
The statement accused Israel of targeting health care facilities and medical infrastructure in Gaza. It also said Israel was carrying out attacks on civilian infrastructure and that the continued loss of civilian lives, including women and children, is a grave violation of international law.
The foreign ministers stressed that the protection of civilians, safeguarding of medical facilities and personnel working in the health and humanitarian sectors, and ensuring the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza constitute legal obligations that must not be compromised or diminished.
“The ministers also renew their call on the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and take practical and effective measures to compel Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and UN Security Council Resolution 2803,” the statement said.
The minister said Israeli violations in Gaza cannot be viewed in isolation from the attacks carried out by Jewish settlers in the West Bank, the “unlawful expansion of settlements, and the unilateral measures aimed at altering the status quo” in Jerusalem.
‘TWIN OBLIGATIONS’
During a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Hamas’ disarmament has to be matched by Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and other occupied areas in Palestine, describing the two as “twin obligations.”
“So not just that Hamas has to disarm, but Israel has to vacate the occupied Gaza and territories surrounding
and basically, restore the status quo ante on Gaza,’ he said.
Andrabi said Israel’s responsibility in withdrawing from occupied areas in Palestine needs to be “watched,” saying that Pakistan looked forward to the “earnest implementation” of this decision.
Hamas’ weapons have been among the main obstacles to implementing the ceasefire in place since October 2025. Hamas officials told AFP last week that a committee set up by the Board of Peace to govern Gaza would oversee the storage of its weapons.
Pakistan has consistently called on the international community to prevent Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. Islamabad supports an independent Palestinian state that is based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.