Pakistan has “strongly criticized” Israel for its “deliberate” attacks on hospitals, medical personnel, patients, and the injured in Gaza, calling for accountability for these assaults on healthcare facilities and other alleged “war crimes,” Radio Pakistan reported.

“Deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, patients and the wounded defies every principle of international humanitarian law and has no justification,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s alternate permanent representative to the United Nations, said while delivering a statement at the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question

The condemnation follows an incident where Israeli forces set fire to Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, evacuating patients and medical staff, according to hospital officials.

Since the escalation of violence in October 2023, Israel’s military operations, aimed at Hamas, have led to the targeting of hospitals, schools, and residential areas in Gaza. Palestinian officials report that these actions have resulted in over 45,000 deaths and have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Ambassador Iftikhar stressed the need for accountability for such actions, insisting that mere condemnation is insufficient. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and lacks diplomatic relations with the country, advocating instead for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”

Moreover, Pakistan has sent multiple relief consignments to Gaza and established the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund’ to collect public donations for those affected by the ongoing conflict.

At the UNSC session, the Pakistani diplomat called for “decisive action” to achieve an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the violence and destruction in Gaza. He also urged the lifting of the blockade on the enclave to facilitate the free flow of food, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to those in dire need.