CAIRO: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on the international community to listen to the suffering and cries of the people of Gaza.

Speaking at a special session on the situation in Palestine and Lebanon at the D-8 Summit, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for convening the timely meeting on Gaza and Lebanon during the summit.

PM condemned Israel's relentless actions, which, after wreaking havoc in Gaza, have now spread to the West Bank, warning that this could ignite a broader regional conflict.

He described the ongoing violence in Gaza since October 2023 as one of the darkest chapters in recent history, calling it a catastrophic humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions. Pakistan has consistently denounced Israel's aggression in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria, he added.

He also condemned Israel's actions against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), describing the agency as a lifeline for millions of vulnerable Palestinians affected by Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan's long-standing support for a just and lasting solution to the Middle East conflict based on international law and relevant UN Security Council and OIC resolutions.He emphasised the need for a viable, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders.

He also urged for international efforts to secure a ceasefire and support the reconstruction of Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and other war-torn regions, which have been devastated by Israeli airstrikes.

Pakistan is among the countries that have sent aid to Palestine through Egypt and Jordan, and Sharif called for continued humanitarian assistance to ensure the survival of millions of war-affected civilians. "I urge the world to listen to the innocent people of Gaza," the PM concluded.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 20 2024

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