Iraq condemns Israeli strikes on Gaza, urges international action

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government condemned Israeli airstrikes on multiple areas in Gaza on Saturday, renewing calls for the international community to take responsibility as the conflict enters its ninth month.

In a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, government spokesperson Bassim Al-Awadi said, "After nine months since the onset of the war on Gaza, the atrocities of this unjust aggression continue. The latest massacres claimed the lives of dozens of innocent children and women in Al-Shati refugee camp, Tal Al-Hawa and Al-Sinaa neighborhoods in Gaza City, Al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, and other parts of Rafah. The airstrikes persist, targeting Palestinians, their homes, and neighborhoods that have endured suffering, blockade, and racial discrimination for years."

"The criminal acts committed by (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu's government extend beyond breaking international laws and charters. They have also ignored every humanitarian voice, provocatively undermining the missions and appeals of international organizations and peace efforts worldwide. This attempt to undermine all concepts of international law will effectively destabilize the region and spread the conflict beyond its borders." Al-Awadi added.

In light of these serious developments, Al-Awadi reiterated Iraq's call for the international community and major powers to "take responsibility for the continuation of this blatant aggression by an entity that considers itself above international law and justice."

He also urged these nations to "support the Palestinian people's right to live, put an end to the aggression that constitutes a dangerous precedent in human history, and immediately work to save our people from starvation, systematic killing, and attempts to drive them from their land. Additionally, there is an urgent need to deliver necessary aid, medical supplies, food, and humanitarian essentials."

An Israeli air attack on the al-Mawasi refugee camp, designated by Israel as a "safe zone," has killed at least 90 people and wounded 300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israeli army stated that the strike aimed to target senior Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, but Hamas rejected this claim, calling it "false" and asserting that "defenseless civilians" were the victims of the attack.

Moreover, the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza reported that 20 people were confirmed killed after an Israeli airstrike targeted a group of people gathered to pray near the ruins of a mosque in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.

A spokesperson for the civil defense said in a statement that many more individuals remain in critical condition following the attack.

Since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza on October 7, about 38,500 people have been killed and 88,500 wounded.