The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, arrived on Monday to Jeddah on Monday to attend an important meeting of the Islamic Cooperation Organization of the Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) in the Gaza crisis in the midst of Israeli aggression and plans to take advantage of the total control of the city of Gaza, said the foreign office.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 62,000 people and injured 157,951, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The United Nations warned last week that with the Israeli forces that block the aid, half a million people face “catastrophic hunger” in Gaza, with famine conditions that will probably extend even more through the strip. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its bombing after approving a plan to take control of the city of Gaza, qualifying it from the “last bastion of Hamas”.
“Vice Minister Vice Minister/Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar […] He has reached the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the 21st extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Affairs (CFM) of OIC that is held today in the OIC Secretariat in Jeddah, ”said the FO in the statement.
“The DPM/FM was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah by Pakistan’s permanent representative to OIC, Ambassador Fawad Sher, Pakistan ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq and the General Council of Pakistan in Jeddah, Khalid Majid.”
He added that the session will bring together foreign ministers and senior officials of the OIC Member States to deliberate the coordinated responses to the growing developments in Palestine, derived from the current Israeli military aggression, proposed plans for total military control over Gaza and the continuous egregious violations of Palestinian rights.
Yesterday, the FO said FM will reject Israel’s “scandalous” plan to occupy Gaza in the extraordinary session and emphasize the urgent need for humanitarian assistance without obstacles.
“He will reaffirm the unwavering support of Pakistan to Palestine and reiterate his position of principles and require the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, above all, the establishment of an independent, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian state,” he said.
The OIC is the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, with 57 Member States. It was established in September 1969 in response to Israeli terrorist attacks against the Al Aqsa mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
As a founding member, Pakistan has been at the forefront of the efforts of the OIC to defend the Muslim causes, from the freedom of the Palestinian and Kashmite peoples that fight under the foreign occupation, until defending the rights of Muslims in Myanmar and Bosnia, until conflicting in Muslim lands such as Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Libyia.
‘Full control’ of Gaza
Last week, Tel Aviv approved a plan to take control of the city of Gaza, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas.
Defense Minister Israel Katz promised to continue with the offensive in the city where the famine has been declared, which has given alarm abroad and objections at home. Katz has said that the city of Gaza would be razed unless Hamas accepts the terms of Israel.
Hamas said that Israel’s plan to take care of the city of Gaza showed that the fire was not taken seriously, and said that a high fire agreement was the only way to return Israeli prisoners, responsible for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The proposal on the table requires a high fire of 60 days and the release of 10 live Israeli prisoners held in Gaza and 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would free about 200 long -standing Palestinian prisoners in the hands of Israel.
Once the temporary fire begins, the proposal is that Hamas and Israel begin negotiations on a high permanent fire that would include the return of the remaining Israeli prisoners.
Netanyahu said last Thursday that Israel would immediately resume the negotiations for the liberation of the 50 Israeli prisoners held by Hamas, of which Israel believes that around 20 still live, and the end of the war of almost two years, but in acceptable terms for Israel.
Hungry ‘Made by man’
According to a report published last week by the United Nations Food Security Phase Integrated Food Safety Phase (CPI), the famine in Gaza was “completely made by man” and could be “detained and reversed”, but required an “immediate response” to do so.
“The time has passed for debate and doubt; hunger is present and is extending rapidly,” said the committee in a report.
“There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that an immediate response is needed at scale. Any additional delay, even for days, will result in a totally unacceptable escalation of mortality related to famine.”
The report also warned that avoidable deaths “would increase exponentially” unless a fire was implemented to allow humanitarian aid and restore the delivery of food and basic supplies to the population of Gaza immediately.
Pakistan offices help
Meanwhile, a new shipment of 100 tons of products of help to Palestine was sent from the International Airport of IQBAL of Allama Lahore through a special flight about the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marking the 21st consignment sent for the people of Gaza, the state Run Associated Press of Pakistan (app) reported.
Shipping includes ration bags, meals ready to eat and canned fruits to meet the urgent food needs of the Palestinian people. With this shipment, the total aid volume sent by Pakistan to Gaza has reached 2,027 tons through 21 shipments, according to the report.
