Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, said "the sole purpose of the barbaric attack on our people in Gaza is collective punishment and even extermination. There are 2.2 million residents in Gaza who have endured a 17-year siege, nearly half of whom are children, and now face the consequences of an irrational revenge-driven policy. These atrocities are happening right before the world's eyes."
He stressed that "this massacre will not only stain Israel's reputation but also become a shameful chapter in the annals of the international community and global conscience that is silent at such times when silence equates to complicity."
These remarks were part of Mr. Aboul Gheit's address at the opening of the 39th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Justice hosted in Baghdad.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said that the speech included a condemnation of the international community's inability to effectively intervene and halt the ongoing conflict. Mr. Aboul Gheit reiterated that "forced displacement, failure to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and collective punishment all constitute war crimes, as per humanitarian law. The occupier knows no laws during the time of war and unfortunately the world seems to be giving green light for such massacres."
Mr. Aboul Gheit called for "an immediate cessation of military operations and the urgent establishment of safe corridors to provide relief to the population, deliver essential supplies, and evacuate the wounded. The healthcare sector has almost collapsed in the Strip which is under bombardment every minute."
