Pakistan calls for ‘decisive’ global action on Gaza, Lebanon

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appealed to the international community to respond to the suffering of the people in Gaza. Speaking at the D-8 Summit’s special session on Palestine and Lebanon, he thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for hosting this timely discussion.

The PM condemned Israel’s ongoing attacks, which have spread from Gaza to the West Bank, warning of a potential wider regional conflict. He described the violence since October 2023 as a humanitarian catastrophe, calling it one of the darkest periods in recent history.

Sharif criticized Israel’s actions against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which provides vital aid to millions of Palestinians. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance for a peaceful and just solution to the Middle East conflict, emphasizing the need for a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders.

The Prime Minister urged international efforts to achieve a ceasefire and support the reconstruction of Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and other areas devastated by Israeli airstrikes. He highlighted Pakistan’s aid efforts through Egypt and Jordan and called for continued humanitarian support for those affected.

“I urge the world to hear the cries of the innocent people of Gaza,” he concluded.