Iran congratulates Gaza on ceasefire deal, condemns 'Israel'
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Iran welcomes the Gaza ceasefire deal and congratulates its people for the deal's announcement after over a year of suffering and genocide.
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Children play next to their tent in a refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on November 19, 2024 (AP)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a statement on Thursday, congratulating the Palestinian people and supporters of the Resistance worldwide on the ceasefire deal reached to end the Gaza war.
The ministry attributed the agreement to the unity of Gaza's people with the Resistance and their steadfast defiance against forced displacement. It described the ceasefire as a critical moment in the struggle against the Israeli occupation's "colonial eradication plan targeting the Palestinian nation," a scheme Iran stressed began eight decades ago with the backing or silence of colonial powers.
The statement accused the Israeli occupation of committing systematic and egregious violations of international law, human rights, and humanitarian law over the past 15 months. It highlighted atrocities including indiscriminate killings, particularly of women and children; destruction of homes and critical infrastructure; targeting hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and shelters; and attacks on journalists, doctors, and nurses.
The ministry described these actions as attempts to erase Palestine and crush the spirit of resistance, labeling them a "new level of barbarity" in history.
Western support emboldened 'Israel'
Iran condemned the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Western nations for their direct military, financial, and political backing of the Israeli occupation. It argued that such support emboldened Israeli actions and enabled impunity for its leaders.
The statement also criticized these nations for obstructing United Nations efforts and international legal actions, such as those by the International Criminal Court, to hold the Israeli regime accountable.
“These countries, as partners in the crimes committed by the Zionist regime, must also be held accountable,” the statement declared.
Israeli accountability
The ministry urged the international community to ensure that the terms of the ceasefire were fully implemented, including a complete cessation of violence and genocide in Gaza, full withdrawal of Israeli occupying forces, comprehensive and immediate humanitarian aid, and prompt initiation of Gaza's reconstruction efforts.
The statement also called for heightened attention to ongoing violations in the West Bank and at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It demanded serious measures to confront Israeli aggression and efforts to arrest and prosecute Israeli leaders for "the most severe" crimes.
Iran expressed hope that global actors and responsible organizations would play effective roles in addressing these violations and ensuring justice for the Palestinian people.
Astronomical death toll
Since October 7, 2023, "Israel" killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians, most of whom are civilians, overwhelmingly women and children, while more than 110,000 others have been injured. According to The Guardian's figures, the death toll makes up around 2% of Gaza's pre-war population.
The victims of Israeli brutality included women, children, and the elderly alike, with the youngest victims being infants only a few hours old, and the oldest being a 101-year-old great-great-grandfather.
The Guardian, much like in other publications, speculates a severe underestimation of the actual death toll in Gaza. A study released by the Lancet suggests that the official Palestinian count of deaths in the Israeli war on Gaza may have missed as many as 41% of casualties through mid-2024 due to the collapse of Gaza's healthcare system.
The researchers employed a statistical technique known as capture-recapture analysis to estimate the death toll from the Israeli air and ground assault against Gaza during the first nine months of the war, spanning from October 2023 to the end of June 2024.
The researchers estimated that 64,260 people died from traumatic injuries during this period, which is approximately 41% higher than the official count from the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.
