The government of Bangladesh on Monday expressed its strongest condemnation of the Israeli occupying forces’ continued mass killing and gross violations of human rights in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s ongoing military attacks since last month's unilateral breach of a ceasefire had killed scores of Palestinians, mostly women and children, and blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, leading to a human catastrophe, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“Evidently, Israel has shown no regard to repeated international appeals and has instead engaged in an increasingly intense killing spree,” it added.
The ministry continued: “Bangladesh strongly denounces the Israeli occupying forces’ indiscriminate aerial bombardment of densely populated civilian areas in Gaza with the overt intention of carrying out ethnic cleansing against the defenseless Palestinian population.”
It said the government of Bangladesh demanded that Israel immediately cease all military operations, exercise maximum restraint and abide by its duty under international humanitarian law.
The government also appealed to the international community, in particular the United Nations, to discharge its moral and legal responsibilities by adopting immediate and effective steps towards the implementation of an unconditional ceasefire and the cessation of all hostilities for the protection of the lives of civilians and unobstructed passage of humanitarian relief to besieged Gaza.
The ministry said it reaffirmed the strong support of the government for the just rights of the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination, and to the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“The government of Bangladesh reiterates the necessity of returning to the negotiation platform for permanent peace in the Middle East, which is vital for both regional and global stability. Bangladesh also appeals to all concerned to commit themselves to the path of diplomacy and dialogue to put an end to the violence and suffering afflicting the Palestinian people.
“Bangladesh further remains steadfast and unequivocal in its call on the global community to work towards a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue based on international law, United Nations resolutions and the Palestinian aspirations for peace, dignity and justice.”
