Arab Parliament seeks end to Mideast conflict
Arab Parliament President Adel Al-Asoumi stressed on Saturday the necessity of ending conflicts and war in the Arab region, which claimed innocent lives and displaced others. This came in a statement issued by the Arab Parliament on the occasion of celebrating Arab Human Rights Day, which falls on March 16, which is also the day the Arab Charter on Human Rights came into force. What the Zionist occupation forces are committing in the Gaza Strip contradicts the most basic human rights rules advocated by the West, stated Al-Asoumi, describing the war in the Strip as “a genocidal war against a defenseless nation that history has never witnessed before.”
He called for the necessity of preserving the rights of Arabs, which does not stop at political rights, commending Arab efforts made to develop and advance the human rights system by launching strategies and initiatives that contribute to strengthening the mechanisms of joint Arab action in the field of human rights. Al-Asoumi reiterated the Arab Parliament’s support and solidarity with these human rights movements and its stand against any attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Arab countries under the pretext of human rights.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has announced the arrival of the first ship carrying 200 tons of food and relief supplies to the Gaza Strip via the maritime corridor launched from Larnaca Port in Cyprus to Gaza in collaboration with World Central Kitchen (WCK) and the Republic of Cyprus. In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) underlined the UAE’s endeavors to mobilize efforts within the “Amalthea” maritime corridor to successfully deliver relief aid to the northern Gaza Strip.
The Ministry commended the vital efforts of the leadership of Cyprus, the World Central Kitchen, and international partners to strengthen the humanitarian response to civilians in northern Gaza. Furthermore, the Ministry affirmed that the exacerbating humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip requires adopting a collective international approach to immediately mitigate harm to innocent civilians by ensuring urgent, safe, unhindered, and sustainable delivery of aid.
The Ministry reaffirmed that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained and dedicated effort to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial commodities through all possible routes. As part of its unwavering commitment to the brotherly Palestinian people and efforts to implement humanitarian initiatives aimed at providing relief, the UAE has delivered 21,000 tons of urgent supplies, including food, water, and medical items.
The country dispatched 213 flights, 8 airdrops, 946 trucks, and two ships. The UAE has also inaugurated a number of sustainable relief projects and provided medical care to civilians from Gaza by establishing a field hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, in addition to a floating hospital anchored in Egypt’s Al-Arish Port.
Also, the US Central Command conducted the 11th airdrop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. A command statement aiding the joint operation included two C-130s and one C-17 Globemaster III US Air Force aircraft, and US Army soldiers specialized in the aerial delivery of humanitarian assistance supplies.
US C-17 and C-130s dropped over 35,700 readyto-eat meals and 31,800 bottles of water into Northern Gaza, an area of great need, allowing for civilian access to critical aid, it noted. The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing US and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries, the statement concluded.