ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the Israeli government’s decision to militarily occupy Gaza and urged the international community to recognize Palestine as a state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Reacting to the Israeli cabinet’s decision, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that we strongly condemn the Israeli cabinet’s approval of the plan to gain illegal and illegitimate control of Gaza City.

He said that this decision is tantamount to a dangerous escalation in the already ongoing destructive war against the Palestinian people. This expansion of military operations will further worsen the already existing humanitarian crisis and will destroy any possibility of peace in the region.

The Prime Minister said that we should not ignore the root causes of this ongoing tragedy, which is Israel’s long, illegal occupation of Palestinian land and as long as this occupation continues, peace will remain a dream.

He said that Pakistan reiterates its unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions, their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

The Prime Minister said that we call on the international community to intervene immediately to stop Israel’s unjustified aggression, ensure the safety of innocent civilians and ensure the provision of much-needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.