Kazakh president says humanitarian situation in Gaza approaching ‘catastrophic’ levels

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Monday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 36,400 Palestinians since October, is approaching “catastrophic” levels.

“Almost all major international organizations have called the humanitarian situation in Palestine unacceptable. In fact, it is approaching catastrophic,” Tokayev said during a meeting with the heads of parliament of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states in the city of Almaty, according to a presidential statement.

Expressing that their meeting on the sidelines of the CSTO’s Parliamentary Assembly meeting is taking place in “conditions of unprecedented aggravation of the international situation,” Tokayev said the scale of threats to regional security has significantly expanded.

Tokayev was quoted particularly pointing to the situation in the Middle East as one of “grave concern,” saying that the hundreds of people continue to die and be seriously injured in the Gaza Strip every day.

He reiterated Kazakhstan’s position regarding the creation of a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem based on a two-state solution.

The president welcomed the adoption of the UN General Assembly's May 10 resolution recognizing the right of Palestinians to membership in the organization.

Tokayev also addressed the situation in Afghanistan, saying that one of the current strategic tasks at hand is the active involvement of the war-torn country in interregional ties.

“Kazakhstan removed the Taliban regime from its terrorist list, based on the importance of developing trade and economic cooperation with modern Afghanistan and the understanding that this regime is a long-term factor,” he said.

He noted the coordinated position of CSTO member states on this issue, calling for support of Kazakhstan’s initiative to create a UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.

In December, Kazakhstan removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations “in accordance with UN practice,” and that further bilateral contacts will be developed based on the UN’s position and resolutions.