Merve Berker
17 October 2023•Update: 17 October 2023
ANKARA
Kazakhstan on Tuesday called on Israeli authorities to refrain from the “disproportionate use of power” against Palestinian civilians.
“In this situation, it is crucial to comply with the norms of international law, and follow the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, which secure the legal rights of the Palestinian people,” a Kazakh Foreign Ministry statement said.
The ministry also condemned Palestinian group Hamas’ attacks “against civilians in Israel and the capture of hostages, including foreigners.”
“We support the call of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on immediate and unconditional release of hostages and ensure the unimpeded access to humanitarian aid,” it said.
The ministry calls on all parties to “immediate ceasefire and focus efforts on achieving peaceful resolution based on stability and security for all residents of the region according to Two State solution.”
Eleven days into the conflict with Palestinian group Hamas, Israel's bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with over one million people displaced – almost half of Gaza's total population, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The fighting began when Hamas on Oct. 7 initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.
Nearly 3,000 Palestinians have been killed and 12,500 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, the Health Ministry in Gaza said.
More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the armed conflict.
