Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday deplored that the world is watching killings in Gaza by Israeli forces without taking any effective steps to stop the tragedy.

The prime minister made the comments when visiting the Secretary General of the Fateh Movement (Ruling Party) of Palestine Lt. General Jebreel Alrjoub called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.

PM’s speech writer M Nazrul Islam briefed the reporters after the call on.

Nazrul said the prime minister reiterated her unequivocal support for the Palestinians and condemned the killing of thousands in Gaza, including women and children, and attacks on hospitals by the Israeli forces.

She also expressed her condolence for the deaths caused by the Israeli forces in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire there.

She said that Bangladesh sent relief assistance to Palestine people twice through Egypt.

“I always raise my voice in international forums for the Palestinian people whenever I get a chance,” the PM was quoted as saying.

She recalled the visit of Yasser Arafat to Bangladesh in 1997 during the Awami League regime.

The prime minister came down heavily on the human rights organisations for their stance to remain mum regarding the attack of Israeli forces in Gaza.

“This is one kind of hypocrisy,” she said.

Hasina urged the Muslim Ummah to remain united in their support for the Palestinians.

“This should be done for the sake of protecting the Muslim Ummah and ease the misery of the Palestinians,” she said.

In this connection, she called for the implementation of the UN resolution that states that East Jerusalem will be the capital of Palestine.

Fateh Movement leader Lt. General Jebreel Alrjoub thanked the prime minister for her unconditional support to the Palestinians and for speaking strongly for them in international forums.

“The war (in Gaza) must be stopped immediately and the International community should take quick steps for this,” he was quoted as telling the PM.

He mentioned that an acute crisis of food is prevailing in Gaza and the people are starving.

“Food assistance is urgently needed there,” he said.

He said that recognition of Palestine state is the only way for a solution to this crisis.

He said that 400 million people are living in Arab countries, but they are not united.

“If they become united then the torture and oppression of the Palestinians would be stopped easily. The Arab world has power and resources and just a unity among them is needed to stop the Israeli aggression,” the general said.

He also said that regional stability and global peace will never be established if this war is not stopped.

He thanked Bangladesh for expending its support to South Africa's application against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning Israel's violation of the Genocide Convention regarding the Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.

He also handed over a letter from Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to PM Hasina.