JOHANNESBURG/GAZA - Former South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad has criticised the United Nations (UN) for being slow to respond to the crisis in Gaza.
International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane made the announcement on Tuesday that Pahad would lead a team to the Middle East to convey South Africa’s concerns about the escalation of violence in that region.
Fighting has intensified in the wake of an Israeli ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave.
Pahad says too many lives have been lost in the conflict and the violence has reached unacceptable levels.
“I’m very worried that the United Nations has been so slow in reacting to this situation that is now reaching unacceptable proportions of violence.”
More than 630 Palestinians are reported to have been killed, while Israel says it’s lost just 27 soldiers and two civilians.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued to pound targets across the Gaza Strip with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying no ceasefire is near.
The operation carried on yesterday as top US and UN diplomats pursued talks aimed at halting the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip also landed near Israel’s main airport, wounding one Israeli and prompting all us and some European and Canadian airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon met with Netanyahu with a blunt message.
Moon said the two sides should cease with fighting and seek ways to have dialogue.
“My message for Israelis and Palestinians is the same, stop fighting and start talking.”
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