Palestine requests extraordinary Arab session over Israel’s renewed airstrikes on Gaza

Cairo, March 19: Palestine requested an extraordinary session of the Council of the Arab League (LAS) after Israel’s renewed, deadly airstrikes on Gaza.In a statement, Palestine’s Permanent Representative to the LAS Muhannad al-Aklouk, on Tuesday said his country submitted a request to the General Secretariat of the LAS to convene an extraordinary session of the council at the level of permanent representatives, Xinhua news agency reported.Al-Aklouk further stated that this request was prompted by Israel’s renewed “crimes of aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing” directed against the Palestinian people.He also noted that these events have coincided with Israel’s disconnection of electricity to Gaza and the obstruction of humanitarian, medical, and relief aid delivery to the strip.The anticipated extraordinary session, he explained, is intended to discuss Arab and international initiatives aimed at compelling Israel to “halt its crimes and aggression against the Palestinian people and comply with international law and international legitimacy resolutions.”Early Tuesday, Israel launched massive airstrikes across Gaza, killing more than 400 people and shattering a fragile ceasefire that took effect on January 19.The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attacks, stating that they were carried out in coordination with the Israeli Security Agency (ISA).”In accordance with the political echelon, the IDF and ISA are currently conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military announced on X.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later in the day that Israel will escalate its renewed assault on the enclave and that “from now on, the negotiations (on Gaza ceasefire) will take place only under fire.”