A protest took place in front of the UN office in Colombo yesterday afternoon (16) against the killing of civilians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Palestine.
Jana Aragala movement organized the agitation by political parties, people’s organizations and social activists.
Carrying placards and shouting slogans, they condemned Israel and the US and demanded the recognition of a free Palestine.
Canadian PM call for humanitarian corridor
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has called for a humanitarian corridor to be opened into Gaza.
He said urgent help was needed to address an increasingly dire situation in the besieged enclave of 2.3 million people.
Canada supports Israel's right to defend itself but "even wars have rules", he added.
"Terrorism is always indefensible, and nothing can justify Hamas's acts of terror. ... Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people nor their legitimate aspirations," he told parliament.
Five Canadians were killed in the Hamas attack on Israel while three are still missing.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said Washington had secured assurances from Israel about allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.
He also said the two nations were discussing the possibility of creating special areas to – as he put it – "keep Palestinian civilians out of harm's way".
He made those comments after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Israeli war cabinet.
He added that the US was committed to the security of its closest ally in the Middle East, and said President Biden's Wednesday visit to Tel Aviv was aimed at reaffirming that commitment.
A convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid from Egyptian NGOs for Palestinians start to move from Al-Arish to Rafah city as they wait for an agreement on the opening on the Rafah border crossing to enter Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the city of Al-Arish, Sinai peninsula, Egypt, October 17, 2023.
Malaysia supports Palestine
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim says he has expressed Malaysia's "unwavering support for the Palestinian people" to Hamas.
Ibrahim said he had a phone conversation with the head of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.
"Given the dire situation in Gaza, I strongly advocate for the immediate cessation of bombardment and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in Rafah," Ibrahim posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"It is also imperative for Israel to abandon their adherence to the politics of dispossession, immediately ceasefire with Hamas and genuinely pursue a peaceful resolution to end the ongoing conflict."
In this spirit, we are committed to delivering humanitarian aid, particularly in the form of food and medicine to alleviate the suffering of those in need.
(With inputs from BBC)
