MUSCAT/DOHA: The Sultanate of Oman has voiced its strong condemnation and denunciation of the ongoing aggression launched by the Israeli occupation forces against the Gaza Strip, the latest of which was the deliberate targeting of medical, relief and media personnel at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis — in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the Sultanate of Oman reiterated its call on the international community — notably the Security Council — to undertake decisive action for ensuring the protection of civilians, halting these grave violations and upholding principles of the international law.
The Sultanate of Oman affirmed that justice for the Palestinian people can only be realised by terminating the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and enabling the Palestinian people to attain their legitimate rights. It pointed out that the most prominent of these rights is the establishment of a Palestinian state, with Al Quds A’Sharqiyah (East Jerusalem) as its capital, based on resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Meanwhile, Qatar said that it was "still waiting" for Israel's response to a proposal for a truce and a deal on the release of captives in the Palestinian territory after Hamas agreed to the framework more than a week ago.
Qatar and Egypt, along with the United States, have been mediating indirect ceasefire negotiations throughout the Gaza war, but despite sealing two temporary truces, the successive rounds of talks have repeatedly failed to bring a lasting end to the conflict.
The latest proposal put forward by mediators involves an initial 60-day truce and staggered exchanges of captives for Palestinian prisoners, but Israel has appeared reluctant to budge from its demand that all the captives being held at Gaza be freed at once.
"We are still waiting for an answer" from Israel, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al Ansari told a regular news conference on Tuesday, adding: "The statements that we are hearing right now do not fill us with confidence."
Last week, Hamas said it had accepted the new ceasefire proposal following a round of talks in Cairo.
The proposal followed the contours of a deal first proposed by US envoy Steve Witkoff, with Qatar saying it hewed closely to a version previously approved by Israel. SEE ALSO P6
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
