Palestine FM: Israel continues killing and displacement; peace impossible without ending occupation
Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said on Monday that Israel continues mass killings and forced displacement, stressing that there can be no just peace without ending the occupation.
She made the remarks to the Human Rights Council during its 61st session in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a statement from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.
Shahin said, “Israel continues mass killings and forced displacement, imposing a colonial reality by military force, in blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
She added that “the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip shows a systematic disregard for the international system and its resolutions.”
With US support, Israel began a mass killing campaign in Gaza on 8th October 2023, which lasted two years. It left more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 171,000 injured, mostly women and children, and destroyed 90 per cent of civilian infrastructure.
The campaign ended with a ceasefire agreement on 10th October last year. However, Israel has committed hundreds of violations, including shelling and shootings, resulting in 615 deaths and 1,651 injuries, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The minister said that “the continued impunity has encouraged Israel to persist in committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.”