to report «iusnews»; Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, described the Hamas military operation as a natural reaction by Palestinians in the face of continued Israeli brutality, and cautioned that if the Zionist regime’s raids on the Gaza Strip continue, any possibility in West Asia is likely.
Iran’s foreign minister met with head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh in the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday.
Amir Abdollahian said that the issue of Palestine is the most important issue for the Muslim world, adding, “Supporting Palestine is a religious, humane and moral responsibility.”
He underlined the spontaneous design and implementation of Operation al-Aqsa Storm by the resistance groups.
The military operation proved that unlike what some people erroneously thought, Palestine is alive, the top diplomat underscored.
Amir Abdollahian also stressed that the Palestinians’ operation also proved that “the process of normalization of some countries’ relations [with Israel] cannot weaken the strong will of the Palestinian nation in pursuing its natural, humane and legal rights”.
Explaining about the measures taken by Iran on regional and international levels to stop the Zionist regime’s savage attacks against the oppressed people of Gaza, the minister said, “We have … proposed holding of an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of Islamic countries … and we back any initiative by Muslim countries in support of the Palestinian nation.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never back down on its principles and values in support of the Palestinian nation,” he added.
Amir Abdollahian noted that Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was the Palestinian nation’s “natural reaction” to continued crimes and provocative moves by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s extremist cabinet.
“If the Zionist regime’s war crimes continue in Gaza, any possibility in the region can be taken into consideration and the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its efforts to stop the war crimes committed by the Zionists,” the senior diplomat continued.
Haniyeh, for his part, said Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was a natural reaction to the Israeli regime’s crimes against the Palestinian nation during past decades and its increasing violations of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in recent months.
He added that the crimes committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza prove Israelis helplessness and confusion in the face of the powerful blow they have been dealt by Palestinian resistance fighters.
The Hamas chief stated despite the Zionist regime’s war crimes and destruction of Gaza’s homes, mosques and hospitals, the Palestinian resistance remains powerful and strong.
Last Saturday, Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,300 and injured over 3,800, according to Israeli officials.
Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 2,300 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, and wounding over 9,700 others. Tel Aviv has also ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, saying he would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.
The Israeli Army has also announced in a statement on Thursday it has dropped more than 6,000 bombs weighing 4,000 tonnes on the besieged enclave since last Saturday. It added that Israel’s air force has hit over 3,600 targets in Gaza.
More than 1,300 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in the Israeli bombardment, according to the United Nations. The world body’s humanitarian agency OCHA reported “5,540 housing units” in those buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,750 more homes were so badly damaged they were uninhabitable.
Human rights groups have stressed that depriving an occupied population of basic necessities is a war crime. A humanitarian crisis is rapidly spiraling in the coastal enclave.
Israel’s military has also ordered 1.1 million people living in Northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, amid signs it is set to ramp up its offensive. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled south following the order. The UN has warned it is “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences".
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has confirmed that nearly 1 million people have been displaced in one week alone.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.
Tehran says the history of the apartheid regime is full of assassinations, massacre, torture and killing of Palestinian kids, and described Tel Aviv regime's atrocities and massacre of Palestinian women and children as indicative of the destitute of Zionists. Iranian officials say the Tel Aviv regime has been struggling for more than 70 years to exit its identity crisis which has been mixed with genocide, plunder, forced displacement and scores of other inhumane moves.
