DUSHANBE, December 30, Asia-Plus — The board of the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) met in Dushanbe yesterday to discuss the present situation in Gaza Strip in Palestine following Israel’s air strikes, Hikmatullo Sayfullozoda, a spokesman for the IRPT, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, the party strongly condemns the air strikes. “We strongly condemn actions of Israeli authorities, considering them to be erroneous,” said the IRPT activist, “By its military actions, the Israeli side has shown that it is for destabilization of the situation in Middle East, you know.” “In our opinion, the Israeli authorities have used force in order to demonstrate alleged political unity, while actually, Israel’s leadership has experienced political crisis lately.”
The IRPT spokesman further added that the IRPT board would organize “inner-Party action of protest in Dushanbe in the near future.”
In the meantime, BBC News today reported that Israeli jets have attacked the Gaza Strip for a fourth day, with raids on a number of Hamas government buildings and security installations. Air strikes early on Tuesday killed at least 10 people, medical officials in the coastal enclave said.
About 320 Palestinians have died since Saturday, the UN says. Four Israelis have been killed by rockets from Gaza. The strikes began less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007. Israel withdrew in 2005 but has kept tight control over access in and out of Gaza and its airspace.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned both Israel and Hamas. While recognizing Israel”s right to defend itself from militant rocket attacks, he condemned its “excessive use of force”. The suffering caused to civilian populations as a result of the large-scale violence and destruction that have taken place over the past few days has saddened me profoundly,” he said. The UN says at least 62 of the Palestinians killed were women and children.
Forty people were said to have been wounded in Tuesday”s raids, which targeted Hamas-run offices and security installations, Palestinian officials said.
European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Paris today to discuss the escalating crisis. The meeting, hosted by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, is expected to consider the idea of a humanitarian aid corridor, and how to bring additional aid to Gaza, according to BBC News.
