Pakistan issued a formal condemnation on Wednesday against Israel’s resumption of military operations in Gaza, despite a recently established, US-supported truce. The South Asian nation called upon the international community to implement “urgent and effective” actions to halt these violations.
According to a Reuters report citing the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli military actions since the ceasefire have resulted in the deaths of at least 87 Palestinians, including civilians. In a separate incident over the weekend, two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Gaza by Palestinian fighters. The report further detailed that on Sunday, more than one hundred air strikes targeted areas including Rafah and Khan Younis in the south, Jabalia in the north, and various central Gazan locales.
Israel has attributed the renewed conflict to an attack on its forces in Rafah by Hamas, a claim the group has refuted, stating it has no knowledge of or involvement in the event.
A statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office declared, “Pakistan strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives.” The communiqué emphasized that Israel’s actions are “inconsistent with the spirit of the peace agreement signed in Sharm El-Sheikh,” an event attended by leadership from the Muslim and Arab world, the United States, Europe, and the United Nations.
The Foreign Office further implored the global community to “take urgent and effective measures to end these violations and to ensure full implementation of the ceasefire and protection of Palestinian civilians.” Reasserting its steadfast support for the Palestinian people, Pakistan demanded an immediate cessation of Israeli hostilities and reiterated its long-standing position advocating for the creation of an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous Palestinian State. This state would be based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.
Pakistan was previously one of eight nations that collaborated with the administration of former US President Donald Trump on a initiative to conclude the conflict in Gaza.
Poll Shows Majority of Americans Favor US Recognition of Palestinian State
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that a majority of Americans—including 80% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans—believe the United States should recognize Palestinian statehood. This suggests that former President Trump’s opposition to such a move may not align with prevailing public opinion.
The six-day survey, which concluded on Monday, found that 59% of participants supported US recognition of a Palestinian state, while 33% opposed it. The remaining respondents were uncertain or did not answer. Approximately half of Trump’s Republican supporters (53%) were against recognition, whereas 41% of Republicans expressed support.
This development comes as a growing list of countries, including US allies such as Britain, Canada, France, and Australia, have recently formalized their recognition of Palestinian statehood, a move that has drawn condemnation from Israel.
The poll also revealed that about 60% of respondents considered Israel’s military response in Gaza, which followed an October 2023 surprise attack by Hamas, to be excessive. In contrast, 32% disagreed with that assessment.
While Trump, who returned to the White House in January, has predominantly supported Israel’s offensive, his brokering of a ceasefire this month had raised hopes for a durable peace. The Reuters/Ipsos poll suggested the American public is prepared to acknowledge Trump’s role if his plan succeeds; 51% of respondents agreed that Trump “deserves significant credit” should the peace efforts prove successful, compared to 42% who disagreed. Notably, while only 5% of Democrats approve of Trump’s overall presidential performance, one in four conceded he should receive significant credit if a lasting peace is achieved.
The online poll gathered responses from 4,385 adults across the United States and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points.
