Temporary ceasefire in Gaza Strip most welcome
The callous mass murder of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank by the occupying force of Israel since October 7th has now claimed over 12, 000 innocent lives including children.
This is not to mention the thousands more injured people, and internally displaced people who number half of Gaza’s population.
Indeed, in its flagrant and cruel campaign, the occupation has demolished willy- nilly, infrastructure and public facilities including roads, bridges, offices and hospitals!
Gaza lies in ruins – it’s a desolate city! Her people are besieged, starved, isolated and denied the basic needs – food, water, medicine and fuel, it is a humanitarian crisis of gargantuan proportions!
Yet the world has watched indifferently as this gory affair play out in public, on televisions and social media platforms – fearing to openly condemn this violation of international law and a desecration of the values contained in the Charter of the United Nations!
If, and when they did, it was tongue- in- cheek!
But, happily a few nations have refused to go with the popular convention, among them South Africa, who is gradually providing moral compass in a world engulfed in chaos!
Among these principled countries, we can mention Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, Djibouti and Venezuela who have invoked
Article 14 of the Rome Statute and submitted a joint referral of the situation in Palestine to the Office of The Prosecutor ( OTP) of the International Criminal Court ( ICC) for investigation.
South Africa particularly, has been forthright, calling Israel’s atrocities in Gaza as ‘ genocide’. Not only, has South Africa spoken out against the impunity and recklessness of Israel, its Parliament on Tuesday passed an unflattering Motion calling on government to shut the embassy of ‘ Apartheid Israel’.
As a result, Israel was forced to recall its Ambassador to South Africa! Indeed, South Africa has shown upright leadership in this war between Israel Defence Force and Hamas!
We call on other countries to stop burying their hands in the sand, to come out and call out Israel’s atrocities. Chinese President Xi Jinping has made his nation’s desire for a peaceful resolution of the conflict during his recent meeting with US President, Joe Biden.
We applaud the humanitarian truce agreement ( four days) or temporary ceasefire that has been reached between Hamas and Israel brokered by
Qatar and Egypt.
The terms of this agreement clearly stipulate a cessation of hostilities and opening of humanitarian corridors and exchange of hostages.
It also calls for the release of 50 women and children of the occupation detainees under the age of 19, in exchange for the release of 150 women and children of our people from the occupation prisons under the age of 19, all in order of seniority.
This small start marks a beginning – we hope the Arab world under the banner of the Arab League can jointly work with the African Union, the BRICS+, European Union and the United Nations for a lasting resolution to the 75- yearold Nakbar!
And certainly, going forward, the deployment of a UN Rapid Force to monitor a permanent ceasefire in Gaza is an imperative.