South Africa welcomes Palestine-Israel truce

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG

The South African government has welcomed the cease-fire between Palestine and Israel after two days of Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement on Thursday that the recent violence was the worst since the 50-day conflict in 2014.

“We call for maximum restraint and express the hope that there will be no renewed escalation in Gaza or in any of the occupied Palestinian Territories,” the statement said.

Pretoria further added there can be no military solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.

The Egyptian government brokered the truce after 14 Palestinians were martyred since Sunday in attacks by Israel in the Gaza strip. At least one Israeli soldier was reportedly killed and another injured.

More than 200 Palestinians have been martyred by Israeli attacks since March 30, and thousands more injured.

The South African government, which is critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, and the ongoing settlement and expansion policy in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem supports a solution.