Pakistan condemns Israel’s killing of Palestinians

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Friday condemned the killing of Palestinians by Israel’s armed forces.

“The international community has the obligation to take cognizance of these aggressive actions, which are in violation of international law and international humanitarian law,” said a statement by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.

“Pakistan believes that a permanent solution of the Palestinian issue lies in the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous state of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital", the statement added.

The situation escalated in Gaza early Tuesday after an Israeli airstrike killed Bahaa Abu al-Atta, a senior military commander of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, and his wife Asmaa.

Two days of fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad have left 34 Palestinians dead, including eight children and three women. More than 111 have been injured, including 46 children and 20 women.

A truce was reached in Gaza that went into effect on Thursday at 5 a.m. local time, but a lasting ceasefire appeared tenuous due to differences over its terms.