South Africa demands cessation of hostilities, faults Israel illegal occupation, desecration of Al-Aqsa

The South African government has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas fighters after a weekend of bloodshed between the opposing camps. South Africa blamed the illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque as the cause of the fighting while calling for the end of injustice…

The South African government has joined many other African countries and the international community to demand for an immediate cessation of violence between Israel and Palestine.

This follows a weekend of bloodshed between the two foes which has led to the death of hundreds of civilians from both sides.

As staunch supporters of Palestine, the Southern African nation said the fresh clashes emanated “from the continued illegal occupation of Palestine land, continued settlement expansion, desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque and Christian holy sites, and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people.”

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in a statement said that the region urgently requires a viable peace process that fulfills the calls of numerous past UN resolutions for a two-state solution and a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine.

Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Saturday, claiming responsibility for the surprise strike on Israel in retaliation to the siege of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and rising settler violence. It claimed to have fired missiles and kidnapped many Israelis.

In response, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in Gaza.

Local media reported early Sunday that at least 750 Israelis have gone missing since the conflict erupted on Saturday morning.

According to medical authorities in Gaza, at least 256 Palestinians have been killed and almost 2,000 others have been injured in the attacks, while the Israeli death toll has risen to 600.