Ceasefire now

Last Friday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza. It came as a ray of hope to break the endless cycle of indiscriminate brutality being inflicted by the Israeli forces on Palestinians. Over 8,400 Palestinians have been killed which includes mostly women and 3500 children. But Israel has not only rejected this resolution but also called it a “dark day for the United Nations and mankind”. While Israel is still defiant, the loss of Palestinians lives continues unabated. Some US politicians have acknowledged that violence against Palestinian civilians is a tragedy. But there has been no end to this brutality. To ensure Israel’s compliance with international law and respect for basic human rights, may I appeal to the US government and its Western allies to immediately suspend their military assistance to Israel. This will not only save the further loss of civilian lives but also prevent the further escalation of the conflict, involving other countries in the Middle Eastern region.

Tipoo Sultan 

Rawalpindi