Bangladesh strongly denounces attack on Gaza hospital, calls Israel to stop war immediately

Bangladesh strongly condemned yesterday’s air strike on a hospital in Gaza city that killed hundreds of innocent civilians and said the war waged by Israel in Gaza is a collective punishment of Palestinian people.

“Bangladesh strongly condemns the recent barbaric air strike on the Ahli Arabi Hospital in Gaza City resulting in indiscriminate killing of hundreds of innocent civilians mainly women and children by the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF). This ruthless attack is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian laws and accords which constitutes a grave crime against humanity,” a press statement by west Asia wing of the foreign ministry said today.

“Bangladesh believes that the current war waged by Israel in Gaza targeting the civilians is not only asymmetric and disproportionate, but it is tantamount to collective punishment of Palestinian people in Gaza and in contravention of all fundamental principles of human rights and international civil accords and conventions,” said the ministry statement.

Bangladesh maintains that time has come for the international community to address the root causes of the on-going conflict.

“It is clear that denial of dignified life and living under Israeli Occupation and forced settlements on Palestinian territory will not lead to peace in the region. Therefore, Bangladesh underlines the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights to self-determination and supports a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital as envisioned in the UNSC Resolutions No. 242 and 338.”

Bangladesh called upon the international community including the United Nations to condemn this heinous act and to urgently allow humanitarian access to the affected territory.

“The perpetrators of this criminal act must be held accountable for their actions, and the barbaric war must be put to a stop to prevent further deaths and suffering of innocent civilians as war victims.”

Bangladesh also urged all parties concerned to hold dialogues to work towards achieving a lasting solution to the question of Palestine.