ARAB AND WORLD

Fri 01 Mar 2024 9:03 am - Jerusalem Time

The flour massacre...continued international condemnations and demands for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza

Angry international and Arab reactions continued, commenting on the Israeli occupation army committing a horrific massacre called the “Flour Massacre,” in which more than 100 were martyred and more than 250 people were injured, who were waiting to receive aid in the northern Gaza Strip.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday, Thursday, that “the killing of more than 100 people seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza is a matter that requires an independent and effective investigation.”

He added that he was "shocked" by the developments in the war with Israel.


In the same context, United Nations Humanitarian Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, expressed his feeling of “horror” after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians while they were waiting to receive aid in the besieged Gaza Strip.


He added, "Even after nearly 5 months of brutal hostilities, there are still new shocks in Gaza."


He continued, "I am horrified by reports that hundreds of people were killed and injured while transporting aid supplies in Gaza City today."


Denunciation and panic

As for European Commissioner for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, he condemned the "new massacre" and stressed that depriving people of food aid constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.


“I am horrified by reports of another massacre among civilians in Gaza who are in dire need of humanitarian aid,” Borrell said on the X platform, adding that the deaths were “completely unacceptable.”


According to Borrell, "humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach Gaza without hindrance."


Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said that what happened in Gaza on Thursday is a nightmare, and that international aid must be sent to the Strip and those who will receive it must be protected.


For his part, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez condemned what happened, saying on the X platform that “the unacceptable nature of what happened in Gaza, where dozens of Palestinian civilians are dying while waiting for food, confirms the urgent need for a ceasefire.”

He added that "humanitarian aid must enter without obstacles," stressing "the need to respect international humanitarian law."


Claims and convictions

Arab and Islamic countries and organizations denounced the “flour massacre,” amid demands for an independent investigation and action by the UN Security Council.


In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered this targeting a heinous massacre, and an integral part of the genocidal war committed by the occupation government against our people to evacuate the entire area of the northern Gaza Strip of citizens.


For its part, Qatar condemned in the strongest terms Israel's perpetration of a "new massacre" in Gaza and demands urgent international action to end the aggression against the Gaza Strip immediately, according to a statement by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed, in a statement yesterday, that the continued brutal crimes of the occupation, as part of its brutal war on the Gaza Strip, prove day after day the urgent need for urgent international action to immediately end this unprecedented aggression in recent history, in preparation for addressing the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Strip, Which threatens a real famine in northern Gaza as a result of the siege, bombing, and failure.


As for Saudi Arabia, it said in a statement by its Foreign Ministry that it expresses strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli targeting of the aid gathering, affirming the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of violations of international humanitarian law by any party and under any pretext.


In a statement to its Foreign Ministry, the UAE strongly condemned the Israeli targeting, and demanded an independent and transparent investigation and the punishment of those responsible, warning of the catastrophic humanitarian situation that is extremely sensitive and dangerous in Gaza.


In a statement by its Foreign Ministry, Kuwait described the Israeli targeting as a new crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces against a number of unarmed Palestinian civilians, expressing its condemnation of it.

The Sultanate of Oman expressed, in a statement by its Foreign Ministry, its strong condemnation and denunciation of the targeting itself, and considered it a brutal attack.


In turn, Egypt condemned the aforementioned Israeli targeting, and considered it a shameful crime and a blatant violation, calling on the main international parties and the Security Council to cease fire, and bear the humanitarian, moral and legal responsibility to stop the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip, and provide protection for the Palestinian people.


Both Jordan and Iraq also condemned the "brutal" Israeli targeting, and called on the international community to use all possible means to protect the Palestinian people, who are suffering from a serious humanitarian crisis.


Invitations and appeals

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, condemned the massacre and appealed to international powers to intensify pressure on the Israeli occupation to stop the daily massacres and comply with international law.


In turn, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Muslim World League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed their strong condemnation of the targeting, considering it a brutal targeting of civilians.


It renewed its urgent call to the international community to intervene urgently in order to stop the genocide crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and provide international protection for Palestinian civilians.


The flour massacre coincided with the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war about 5 months ago exceeded 30,000.


As a result of the war and Israeli restrictions, the residents of Gaza, especially the Gaza and northern governorates, are on the verge of famine, in light of a severe scarcity of food, water, medicine and fuel supplies, with the displacement of about two million Palestinians from the Strip, which has been besieged by Israel for 17 years.


Source: Al Jazeera + agencies

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The flour massacre...continued international condemnations and demands for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza

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