Iraqi government condemns Israeli airstrikes, urges de-escalation in the Middle East

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government condemned, on Thursday, the recent Israeli airstrikes on refugee camps in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, calling for efforts to avoid escalation in the Middle East due to its detrimental impact on the region’s nations and peoples.

In a statement, government spokesperson Basim Al-Awadi criticized the attacks, which he described as a stark violation of humanitarian principles and international law.

“As the new year begins, while honorable individuals, voices of truth, humanity hope for peace and security, and for peoples to obtain their legitimate rights and basic dignities, the Israeli occupation forces have carried out strikes targeting refugee camps in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza and other parts of the Strip since last night and into the second day of January,” Al-Awadi stated.

He noted that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of more than 60 civilians and injured many others, including women and children, some critically. Al-Awadi condemned the attacks as a “blatant and repeated escalation of the conflict” aimed at targeting defenseless civilians, undermining peace efforts, ceasefire negotiations, and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

“This brutal aggression, which has annihilated entire families and caused horrific destruction, is a continuation of significant and ongoing violations of international law by the Israeli entity,” he added. “It reflects a blatant disregard for all laws, customs, and the rules of armed engagement, and a barbaric contempt for humanity and the lives of defenseless civilians who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, particularly amid harsh climatic conditions.”

Al-Awadi also highlighted the indiscriminate nature of the bombardment, pointing to the “terror” on the faces of children and women captured in images of the aftermath. He described these scenes as “a stain on the conscience of humanity.”

The Iraqi government, he emphasized, calls for collective efforts to protect the Palestinian people from ongoing acts of genocide and for measures to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, warning of the severe repercussions such conflicts have on the region’s countries and populations.

Early on Thursday, an Israeli airstrike killed at least 10 Palestinians, including women and children, in a tent encampment sheltering displaced families in Al-Mawasi area designated as a “humanitarian area” in western Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Fifteen others were wounded.

The airstrike burnt the tents to the ground and spread fear among the people.