ISLAMABAD: The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa organized an art competition for children between the age group of 8 to 12 years at Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabadto express solidarity with the children of Gaza.

Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Pakistan Ahmed Rabaei, who was the chief on the occasion opened the show aimed to pay homage to the courage and resilience of the people of Gaza, particularly its children, who had borne the brunt of the conflict.

Counselor at the South African High Commission in Islamabad Brian Witbooi Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI, and Amina Khan, who is Director CAMEA, ISSI also spoke on the occasion.

In his remarks, Ambassador Ahmed Rabaei expressed gratitude on behalf of the State of Palestine to the people of Pakistan for their support and solidarity in such testing times.

He expressed pleasure on seeing the participating students, who shared their heartfelt sentiments and contributed efforts in support of the Palestinian people in the wake of ongoing conflict.

He reiterated the concerns of UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, ‘who feared that there may be no life in Gaza’. He added that 70pc of the victims in Gaza were children and women, which meant more than 21,000 human lives. Further, he said, more than 20, 000 buildings in Gaza had been demolished by Israel’s occupation forces.

DG ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his remarks on the occasion, highlighted the human suffering in Gaza as a result of relentless Israeli military operations, and especially the devastating impact on Gaza’s children.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood lamented that the latest Security Council attempt to affect a ceasefire had been stymied by another veto.

Amina Khan, in her remarks stated that the recent events in Gaza and the West Bank had witnessed an unprecedented level of brutality from the Israeli occupation forces, which had been highlighted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, describing them as, “We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented in any conflict – in modern history.”

Brian Witbooi, in his remarks said that the atrocities were blatant and bold and for the entire world to see. He explained that journalists had run out of adjectives to describe the onslaught and the horror that seen every day on television screens, on mobiles, on social media and the mainstream media. “The atrocities are well documented and Israel and the West want to start the narrative from October 7, 2023 but we know that what we see today is a culmination of what started 75 years ago with the creation of the state of Israel.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2024