The Foreign Office on Thursday called on the international community to devise a “concrete plan” for the reconstruction of Gaza while demanding accountability for Israeli crimes that cost thousands of Palestinian lives.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza which began on Sunday followed by a hostage and prisoner exchange, pausing the conflict after 15 months.
Estimates by the Palestinian health ministry show that more than 47,100 Gazans lost their lives to Israeli attacks since the conflict began, with the majority being civilians.
Meanwhile, about 90 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents were forcibly displaced due to the conflict, with some 92pc (436,000) of housing units in Gaza destroyed or damaged, in addition to 80pc commercial facilities, acording to Al Jazeera.
A drone view shows Palestinians sitting next to the rubble of destroyed houses and buildings, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, January 22, 2025. — Reuters
Speaking during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan highlighted the importance of rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure in Gaza during the conflict.
“We urge the international community to develop a concrete plan for the reconstruction of Gaza in line with UNSC resolutions,” he said.
He also called for the accountability of Israeli crimes committed in this “brutal war”, saying it was an essential element in restoring international legitimacy.
Welcoming the ceasefire deal, Khan reiterated Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution and condemned the recent Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp of West Bank which resulted in the killing of 10 Palestinians.
