The foreign ministers of Arab and Muslim-majority countries on Sunday condemned Israel’s repeated violations of the Gaza ceasefire, following the deaths of 31 people in fresh strikes on the Palestinian enclave over the weekend.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye, said the Israeli actions “risk escalating tensions and undermining efforts aimed at consolidating calm and restoring stability” at a time when regional and international parties are working collectively to advance the second phase of the truce.
“The ministers consider that these repeated violations constitute a direct threat to the political process and hinder ongoing efforts to create appropriate conditions for transitioning to a more stable phase in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
The foreign ministers urged all parties to “fully uphold their responsibilities during this critical period and to exercise the utmost restraint to preserve and sustain the ceasefire”.
In the latest grim news, WAFA news agency reported on Monday, citing medical sources in Gaza, that a three-year-old child was killed when Israeli naval vessels shelled tents belonging to displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
More than 500 Palestinians have been killed since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire came into effect on Oct 11, the report noted.
Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, said:”International humanitarian law must be upheld. Civilians must be protected everywhere, at all times.”
Iyad Eid, an assistant professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the International Islamic University Malaysia, told China Daily that Israel does not respect, “and has demonstrated that it will not respect, ceasefire agreements with the Palestinians”.
Rafah crossing reopened
On Monday, the Rafah crossing, a border that Gaza shares with Egypt, officially resumed operations for the first time in almost a year, according to The Times of Israel.
It said the crossing is open only for the passage of Gazan Palestinian pedestrians, not aid trucks. And all Palestinians in Gaza seeking to enter or leave the Strip will be required to receive Egyptian approval, and Egypt is to send the names to Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security service for clearance.
Eid noted that Israel controls the Rafah border and “appears to be concerned primarily with Palestinians who are leaving Gaza, while imposing restrictions on those seeking to return”.
“Such actions reflect an attempt to exert control over the Palestinian population,” he said.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, said that the Rafah crossing has reopened for the movement of people only as a pilot is underway to test and assess the operation of the crossing.
A report by a WAFA correspondent in Rafah also confirmed that the crossing officially opened for the movement of citizens, particularly those with humanitarian needs, including patients, the wounded, and passport holders.
Among them were 150 patients and their companions, who had prepared during early morning hours to be transported to the crossing and travel for treatment in hospitals outside the Gaza Strip.
A number of Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side of the crossing are expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip, the report said.
On Sunday, Aed Yaghi, a member of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, said the group remains in Cairo due to “technical problems and obstacles”, and expressed hope that the 15-member body would be able to enter Gaza in the coming days, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Another committee member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying that the group still lacked a headquarters and an operational budget. He added that once they arrive in Gaza, committee members plan to meet with Palestinian factions and government bodies to coordinate the handover of ministries and offices.
Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com