Pakistan on Friday expressed grave concern over the plight of Gaza and Palestinians and urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take immediate steps to restore peace in the besieged enclave.

During the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan condemned the ongoing Palestinian massacre in Gaza and that as an occupying power, Israel must adhere protection of civilians in areas of armed conflict under the fourth Geneva Convention (GCIV).

The spokesperson further stated that during the caretaker prime minister’s visit to Tashkent to attend an Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) meeting, he expressed his condemnation of the Israeli brutality in Gaza. The premier emphasised the need to resolve the Palestinian issue by adhering to United Nations resolutions, Baloch added. 

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Kashmir Issue

While highlighting the Kashmir issue, the spokesperson said that India should respect the right to self-determination of Kashmiris and Pakistan will continue to provide moral and diplomatic support to the oppressed people of the valley.

Highlighting the extra-judicial killing of Kashmiris earlier this week, the FO demanded that those responsible should be brought to justice.

Following the October 7 raid on Israel by Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Israel commenced a brutal aerial campaign against Gaza with total disregard for international law and bombed hospitals, mosques, civilian dwellings and other structures mercilessly. 

Till now, at least 10,800 civilians – at least 40pc of them children – have died in relentless Israeli attacks.