The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah Muhammad Shawesh, has appealed to the international community and people of good conscience to ensure that the war in Gaza comes to an end immediately.
Speaking to Journalists in Lagos under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, NSICA, Media dialogue, the Ambassador said, the human suffering and carnage in Gaza is unbearable and further questioned man’s inhumanity to man.
He berated the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), for the growing deaths, maiming, and psychological trauma going on in Gaza every day.
According to him, “Over 65,000 people including women, children, Journalists and aid agencies workers have been victims of a senseless war and outright genocide”.
He noted that IDF and the Israeli Prime Minister’s objectives are to annihilate and take over Palestinian lands for the eventual expansion of Israeli territories in the Palestinian enclave. Reeling out statistics dated back from 1917 to 2023, Ambassador Muhammad Shawesh stated that 78 per cent of Palestinian lands were occupied in 1967, including the Golian Heights as people were killed for fun by IDF up till January 2024.
Calls for international investigations
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria called for an international independent investigative commission to assess the extent of human carnage and hostages held by the Israeli forces as well as Hamas with a view to finding a lasting solution to the war in Gaza.
In his words “The world is amazed that all UN resolutions to end the conflicts and humanitarian support in Gaza were not respected by Israelis and were blocked by members of the Security Council which is detrimental to world peace and stability. Where is justice and fairness?”
He debunked the erroneous belief that the Gaza war is religious or sectarian, claiming that Palestinians consist of Muslims, Christians, and Jews populations.
Humanity appeal
Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary-General Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Professor Ishaq Oloyede said the essence of the media briefing centred on the need to draw attention to the question of humanity, justice and fairness in the Gaza war.
He stated that the war in Gaza is not about religion but about the grave inhuman treatment meted out to Palestinians – a multicultural and religious society.
It will be recalled that the Israeli Defence Force has maintained its determination to wipe off any remnants of Hamas group members who attacked Israel in early October and took some Israelis as hostages.
The Israeli and Hamas hostilities date back decades with deaths from Palestinians and Israelis.
The UN resolutions and the proposed two-state solutions to the Palestinians’ conflicts in Gaza have defied peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.
Emmanuel Ukoh
