ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): Pakistan on Thursday condemned Israel’s “blatant” violation of international law and humanitarian norms with its military operations in the Gaza Strip, including a plan to create new security corridors.
The Foreign Ministry criticized Israel’s continued “aggression and atrocities” in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“The deliberate targeting of a UN-run clinic in Jabalia, which sheltered over 700 displaced civilians, demonstrates Israel’s blatant disregard for international law and humanitarian principles. These actions, coupled with Israel’s clear intent to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their homeland, constitute war crimes under international law,” it said.
The criticism came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced military control over the so-called “Morag Axis,” a new corridor similar to the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border.
Islamabad warned that the new corridor would sever Gaza’s southern region, cutting Khan Yunis off from Rafah.
The Morag Axis refers to an area named after a former Israeli settlement dismantled in 2005. The Philadelphi Corridor has been under Israeli military control since last May.
Pakistan also voiced concern about Israeli forces storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
“This provocative act not only violates the sanctity of one of Islam’s holiest sites but also demonstrates Israel’s determination to escalate tensions and pursue its expansionist agenda at the expense of regional peace,” it said.
The Foreign Ministry said Israel’s destruction of civilian infrastructure and the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians through ongoing bombardment and ground operations were “morally reprehensible and legally indefensible.” It demanded an end to the “blatant violations” of international law.
Israel launched an aerial assault on Gaza on March 18, killing more than 1,000 victims and injuring over 2,500. The attack ended a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement reached in January with Hamas.
Since October 2023, more than 50,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.