The Portuguese Foreign Ministry condemned this Thursday the “irresponsible statements” of two Israeli ministers, who suggested the expulsion of the Palestinian population from Gaza to allow the return of Jewish settlements, pointing out that they “promote violence.”
In a note of “firm condemnation” published on the social network
“These statements promote violence and are contrary to the two-state solution,” it also reads.
Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, both settlers and far-right senior ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, are supporters of the expulsion of the estimated 2.3 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to allow the return of Jewish settlements. which were dismantled in 2005.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, and the US State Department have also condemned these statements.
The current conflict between Israel and Hamas was sparked by the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement. 1,140 people died that day, mostly civilians, but also around 400 soldiers, according to the latest official Israeli figures. Around 240 civilians and soldiers were kidnapped, and Israel indicated that 127 remain in the Gaza Strip.
In retaliation, Israel, which promised to destroy the Palestinian Islamist movement, has bombed the Gaza Strip since October 7, where, according to the local government led by Hamas, more than 22,000 people have already died, mostly women, children and adolescents. . – and more than 54,000 injured, also mostly civilians.
The Israeli offensive has also destroyed most of Gaza’s infrastructure and nearly two million people have been forced to leave their homes, almost all of the 2.3 million inhabitants of the enclave, controlled by Hamas since 2007.
The population of the Gaza Strip is also facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, due to the collapse of hospitals, the outbreak of epidemics and the shortage of drinking water, food, medicine and electricity.
Since October 7, more than 300 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army and settler attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories occupied by the Jewish state.
Source: TSF
