Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and the region.

He was speaking at the Council of Foreign Ministers’ Preparatory meeting for the Second Arab-Islamic Summit on the Situation in Middle East in Riyadh today. He condemned Israel's war crimes and crimes against humanity against the people of Palestine, and called for its accountability.

The Deputy Prime Minister said death toll of innocent Palestinians has crossed 44,000, while over a hundred thousand have been injured and millions displaced. He added that civilian infrastructures, including homes, schools, hospitals, and humanitarian shelters, have been willfully targeted and razed to the ground.

Ishaq Dar said the international humanitarian access to Palestinians has been further restricted. He said Commissioner General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has declared Gaza as the most dangerous place in the world for aid workers. He stressed the need to ensure unfettered humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.

Ishaq Dar expressed alarm at Israeli adventurism in the Middle East that is endangering peace and security in the region. He said the conflict has been expanded to Lebanon, Syria and Iran. He said Pakistan strongly condemns Israel's military strikes against these brotherly countries which are a blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law.

The Deputy Prime Minister proposed to nominate a Joint Arab-Islamic Special Envoy on Middle East as a focal point to coordinate progress on the implementation of the Resolutions adopted by the Joint-Arab-Islamic Summits.

Ishaq Dar said Pakistan will continue to champion the rights of its Palestinian brethren until the creation of a viable, contiguous, and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

He commended the OIC and the Arab League for their unwavering dedication to the Palestinian cause.

He expressed the hope that the new US administration following last week's elections would lend its weight to reinvigorate efforts for peace in the Middle East in accordance with the UN resolutions and international law, as a priority.