International community condemns Israel’s latest attacks on Gaza
The wife and son of Islamic Jihad commander Tareq Izzeldeen, who was killed in Israeli strike along with two of his children, at his funeral in Gaza, 9 May 2023
Amir Tibon and Ben Samuels with The Associated Press report in Haaretz on 9 May 2023:
Following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza early Tuesday morning, members of the international community reacted to the violent escalation with a series of harsh statements and condemnations.
In a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, France’s Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” over the escalation in Gaza. “We remind Israel of its obligation to protect civilians and abide by international humanitarian law. France condemns all attacks that target civilians, and specifically those that occurred in the past few hours, in which several Palestinian civilians were killed.”
The U.S. State Department also responded to the airstrikes, with a statement reading that “We’re closely following Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip that killed three leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. We’re also aware of reports that 10 civilians were tragically killed in the Israeli strikes. We call for all parties to deescalate the situation to protect noncombatants and prevent any further loss of civilian life. The U.S. commitment to Israel’s security remains ironclad.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry described Israel’s airstrikes – which killed 13 Palestinians – as “despicable” and “in no way acceptable,” and said that Turkey expects the crisis to end immediately, “without further loss of life,” to prevent “a new spiral of violence in the region.”
The statement further said that Turkey “wishes Allah’s mercy upon our Palestinian brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the attacks and extend our condolences to the State of Palestine and its people.”
The special UN envoy to the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, issued a statement on Tuesday following Israel’s attack in Gaza that saw the death of 13 people.
Taking to Twitter, Wennesland said that he “condemns the deaths of civilians” and that he “urges all concerned to exercise restraint.” Wennesland added that he is “fully engaged in an attempt to avoid a broader conflict.”
The European Union also condemned the attack, adding that officials in Brussels are “gravely concerned by the escalation” in the Gaza Strip. “The EU deeply regrets the loss of civilian lives, including children, and calls for the respect of international humanitarian law. Civilian lives must be protected under all circumstances,” the statement read.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that they condemn “the Israeli escalation in occupied Palestinian territories” as well as Israel’s raid In Nablus. Jordan called the international community to provide protection to the Palestinians.
Earlier on Tuesday, Nabil Rudeineh, the spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said that Israel bears full responsibility for the escalation. “The Israeli government bears full responsibility for this dangerous escalation that drags the region into violence, tension, and instability. We warn the U.S. administration to not allow Israel to persist in its ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people.”
Dawood Shahab, an Islamic Jihad official, said that there would be a “unified Palestinian response” to the strikes at a time and place of its choosing. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh warned that Israel will “pay the price” for the killings. “Assassinating the leaders with a treacherous operation will not bring security to the occupier, but rather more resistance,” Haniyeh, who lives in exile, said in a statement.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has also strongly condemned Israel’s attacks, saying it goes against international law and resolutions, leads to escalations, and undermines efforts to achieve calm.
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