ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday called on the United States Security Council to fulfill its responsibility to impose a cease-fire in Gaza, where more than 18,500 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched an air and ground offensive in October.
On Tuesday, the 193-member UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire with 153 countries voting in favor and 23 abstaining. The US and Israel, which argue a cease-fire only benefits Hamas, voted against the measure along with eight other countries.
Last week also, the United States vetoed a proposed United Nations Security Council demand for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the war. Thirteen other members voted in favor of a brief draft resolution, put forward by the United Arab Emirates, while Britain abstained. The vote came after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a rare move on Wednesday to formally warn the 15-member council of a global threat from the two-month long war.
Under international law, the resolutions of the UNSC are binding on all members of the United Nations.
“It is very unfortunate that the United Nations Security Council has failed in its responsibility to call for a cease-fire,” the Pakistani foreign office spokesperson said in a briefing to reporters.
“And the UN General Assembly has demonstrated the will of the majority of the member states by calling for this cease-fire. So Pakistan calls on the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities under the UN Charter and for it to impose a cease-fire in Gaza.”
Israel has been embroiled in fierce combat in Gaza since Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters raided southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages.
Of the over 18,500 Palestinians killed in Gaza so far, around two-thirds are women and children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. About 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory.
“It is critical that the international community brings an end to Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against the Palestinian people,” the FO said.
“Pakistan condemns the increasing Israeli hostilities in the West Bank and attacks against Lebanon and Syria, which are in breach of territorial sovereignty of these countries. Israel is acting in complete disregard of international law and humanitarian norms.”
The spokesperson said the international community needed to take “meaningful action” to stop expanding Israeli aggression, which she said could trigger a “wider and more dangerous conflict engulfing the entire region.”
“Pakistan believes that the lasting peace in the Middle East hinges on the peaceful and just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council and OIC resolutions,” she added.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the measures being taken by Israel against the people of Gaza, the inhumane bombing, the inhumane siege of the people of Gaza, the attacks against hospitals, the attacks against United Nations facilities and the use of measures which will have long-term humanitarian, ecological and demographic implications ... We expect the backers of Israel to call upon Israel to desist from such inhumane practices.”
