“The massacres committed against children and women in Gaza confirm the failure of the international community to perform its role,” Sudani said at a conference in Baghdad.
He said that the Palestinian cause “represents the most established and stable aspect of our positions, because it is the permanent right to the occupied land and holy sites.”
Relentless Israeli airstrikes have pounded Gaza in retaliation for a surprise Hamas attack on October 7. According to the Palestinian health ministry, over 9,000 people have been killed in the airstrikes, almost half of them children.
“Our clear position is the necessity of stopping the aggression, and preventing the region from sliding into a war,” said Sudani, adding “Whoever is keen for this not to happen must work for an immediate ceasefire.”
The war in Gaza has sparked sympathy across the Arab world where the Palestinian cause has widespread support. At a peace summit in Egypt last week, Sudani criticized global failure to support human rights and justice in the conflict. “Palestine stands as a living testament for this recurring failure,” he said.
Sudani’s military spokesperson on Monday said Baghdad was preparing to send a second aid package to Gaza, mainly consisting of medical equipment.
In an op-ed in The Guardian on Saturday, Sudani wrote: “Few countries have endured the suffering and conflict that Iraq has experienced over the past 50 years. The tragic events in Gaza bring back painful memories for the Iraqi people. Red lines have been crossed, with civilians enduring unimaginable suffering, and as a result there is an urgent need for critical humanitarian assistance.”
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