ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday strongly condemned the brutalities and massacre of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel’s forces, urging the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to meet urgently for cessation of the ruthless actions.

“Human history has never witnessed such cruelty and barbarism being committed by Israel at a massive level; even water, electricity, food supply and medicine have been cut off,” President Alvi said in a statement.

He said the UN and the OIC should ensure that necessary medical aid, food and other supplies are urgently sent in to prevent further devastation and the human catastrophe in Palestine.

The president further said Israel had crossed all limits by killing children, women and innocent people.

He regretted that the international community had failed to prevent Israel from the genocide of the Palestinian people.

“Pakistan supports the establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people that is the only solution to bring lasting peace and stability in the region,” President Alvi added.

Israeli strikes on Gaza since Hamas’s deadly cross-border attack have killed at least 1,900 people, including 614 children, the territory’s health ministry said.

Some 370 women were among those killed in the seven days of air strikes, the Hamas-run health ministry said. It added that 7,696 people have been wounded.

Hamas took about 150 Israeli, foreign and dual national hostages back to Gaza in the initial attack, Israel has said.

Thousands of Palestinians fled to southern Gaza in search of refuge on Friday after Israel called for over a million of them to evacuate the north of the blockaded enclave before an expected ground offensive.

It comes amid continued strikes on the strip in retaliation for a surprise weekend attack by Hamas, the deadliest in Israel’s history.