GENEVA: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Tuesday said that Israel and the United States cannot eliminate Palestinian group Hamas.
He pointed out that Israel could only free captives in Gaza through a political solution to the conflict.
Speaking at the United Nations in Geneva the foreign minister said that Hamas is a freedom movement.
Amirabdollahian said that Israel, which has vowed to wipe out Hamas, could only secure the release of captives by a political solution.
The Iranian top diplomat was speaking at a meeting alongside foreign ministers from other Middle Eastern states.
Israeli strikes, massacre of Palestinians must stop
Talking to media after the meeting he said all the ministers have agreed that the Israeli strikes and massacre of Palestinians must be stopped.
He said that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has to be open and humanitarian aid has to reach every part of Gaza and the forced displacement of the people of Gaza must stop.
Last month, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appealed to Muslim states with political relations with Israel to cut them for a while. He also called for an Islamic oil and food embargo on Israel.
According to Gaza’s health ministry since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, 18,412 people have been killed, mostly women and children, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.
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The Israeli raids have almost destroyed entire neighborhoods in northern Gaza. Israeli ground troops have been facing heavy resistance from Hamas fighters in the area.
According to the UN some 1.87 million Palestinians, over 80 percent of Gaza’s population, have left their homes.
