Islamabad: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif says we strongly condemn the Israeli cabinet's approval of a plan to take illegal and illegitimate control of Gaza City. This tantamounts to a dangerous escalation in an already catastrophic war against the people of Palestine.

In a statement issued on X on Friday, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that this expansion of military operations will only worsen the already existing humanitarian crisis and derail any prospect for peace in the region.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that we must not lose sight of the root cause of this ongoing tragedy: that is Israel's prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. As long as this occupation endures, peace will remain elusive.

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

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that we call upon the international community to intervene urgently to bring an immediate halt to Israel's unwarranted aggression, ensure the protection of innocent civilians, and ensure the direly needed delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.