Karachi: Dr. Khaled Qaddoumi, spokesperson for the Palestinian organization Hamas, said that it is still unclear how the Gaza Peace Board and other institutions will function. He stated that Israel is continuously violating the ceasefire agreement and that innocent Palestinians are being killed in Gaza every day. He urged Islamic countries included in the Gaza Peace Board to take notice of the ceasefire violations and stop Israeli attacks.
He expressed these views while speaking to the media during his visit to the Karachi Press Club on Friday. Upon his arrival at the press club, Secretary Aslam Khan, Joint Secretary Farooq Sami, and members of the governing body warmly welcomed him.
Dr. Qaddoumi said that efforts were made through the ceasefire to stop what he described as a campaign of genocide in Gaza. However, all institutions formed under the ceasefire remain unclear in their structure and role. He reiterated that it is still not clear how the Gaza Peace Board and other bodies will operate. He accused Israel of continuously violating the ceasefire agreement and said that innocent Palestinians are being killed daily. He called on Islamic countries on the Peace Board to take action and halt Israeli attacks.
He also referred to a United Nations report that, according to him, revealed alarming details about Gaza. He said the report stated that American-made bombs capable of generating temperatures of up to 3,500 degrees Celsius were used in Gaza. Due to these bombs, he claimed, thousands of Palestinian bodies were completely disintegrated. He added that earlier they believed the number of martyrs in Gaza exceeded 72,000, but after the UN report, there are fears that the toll could rise to 200,000.
Dr. Qaddoumi said they are satisfied with Pakistan's role regarding Palestine and appreciate the steps taken by the Government of Pakistan for Gaza and Palestine. However, he noted that the amount of aid reaching Gaza is far below what is needed. According to the agreement, 600 trucks of humanitarian aid should enter Gaza daily, but Israel is allowing only 50 trucks, which he said is insufficient for Palestinians. He added that Palestinian children do not even have access to milk, and there is also a shortage of drinking water. There is an urgent need for medicines, surgical equipment, and the restoration of hospitals in Gaza.
He further said that sufficient pressure has not yet been exerted on Israel to allow the full restoration of aid to Palestinians. He stated that while the ceasefire has increased Hamas's responsibilities, there is no one to restrain Netanyahu. He questioned what the Gaza Peace Board can accomplish when even the United Nations has been unable to take effective action.
He welcomed the formation of a Palestinian technocrats' committee under the peace agreement to operate in Gaza. However, he alleged that Israel is preventing the committee from entering Gaza. He said the technocrats' committee would pave the way for Gaza's reconstruction and future elections. He added that Palestinians who had left Gaza are now returning and emphasized that Palestinians may be martyred but will never abandon their homeland, Gaza.
Earlier, Dr. Khaled Qaddoumi met with the newly elected body of the Karachi Press Club. On this occasion, Secretary Aslam Khan expressed complete solidarity with the Palestinian people and said that Pakistan's journalistic community has always supported the freedom struggle of the oppressed Palestinian people. He said the issue of Palestine is not just a regional matter but a matter concerning all humanity, and raising a voice against oppression is the responsibility of every conscious individual.