By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan Tuesday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the latest provocative actions by Israeli forces as well as illegal settlers that aim to undermine the religious, historical, and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"Such actions are unacceptable and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and have the potential to further escalate an already volatile situation in the region. Pakistan calls for upholding the sanctity and historical status of the holy sites and preventing Israel from any further provocations," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Pakistan also "strongly" deplored the continued targeting of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israeli forces.
The latest "reprehensible" attack on a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza is an example of continued Israeli impunity, it noted.
"The harrowing images being witnessed by the world in the aftermath of the attack that resulted in dozens of deaths, many of them children, should be a wake-up call for the international community," the statement further said.
Islamabad demanded these attacks must end forthwith, and Israel must be held accountable for its "heinous" crimes.
"Pakistan reiterates its unwavering support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and calls for the establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital," the statement concluded.
The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 3,901 people and injured over 11,000 others, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
At least 54,056 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.