By Staff Reporter
HARARE – The Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Zimbabwe, Tamer Almassri, has strongly criticized Israel over what he described as continued violations of ceasefire agreements in the Gaza Strip, accusing Israeli forces of carrying out ongoing military operations that have resulted in significant civilian casualties.
In a statement, Ambassador Almassri said military operations have continued across several parts of Gaza despite diplomatic efforts aimed at securing and maintaining a ceasefire. He also alleged that Israeli military activities have intensified in the occupied West Bank, including increased home demolitions, settlement expansion and violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.
According to Ambassador Almassri, the developments in both Gaza and the West Bank demonstrate that Israel is not committed to a lasting peace process. He said the continued military operations reflect what the Palestinian leadership views as efforts to strengthen Israel’s control over Palestinian territories.
The ambassador said the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen. Citing figures released by Palestinian authorities, he said that since the conflict escalated in October 2023, the death toll in Gaza has reached 73,231 people, with women and children accounting for a large proportion of those killed. He added that at least 173,686 people have been injured during the conflict.
He further stated that the reported casualty figures may not reflect the full scale of the humanitarian crisis, as many people are believed to remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings in areas that emergency and rescue teams have been unable to reach because of ongoing fighting and access restrictions.
Ambassador Almassri called on the international community, the United Nations and international human rights organisations to take stronger action to address the humanitarian situation and to ensure accountability under international law. He also appealed for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire to end the conflict.
Israel has consistently said its military operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas following the group’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and maintains that it seeks to minimise civilian casualties while accusing Hamas of operating within civilian areas. The conflict has drawn widespread international concern over its humanitarian impact and renewed calls for a lasting ceasefire.
