Situation in Gaza a 'grave concern,' says Latvian foreign minister

By Burak Bir

MUNICH (AA) — Latvia's foreign minister on Friday called the plight of civilians in Gaza a "grave concern" as Israeli attacks have caused a "humanitarian catastrophe."

"Right now it is not clear to me at all how a military operation ongoing in Gaza, is attaining its military goals," Krisjanis Karins said in response to a question by Anadolu at the 60th Munich Security Conference.

Karins said ongoing Israeli attacks are causing a "humanitarian catastrophe," in the besieged Palestinian enclave, where thousands of civilians have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.

He stressed the need for a two-state solution to end the current "endless cycle" of war.

"Because this cycle is longer and older than I am. It has been (going on) my entire life, all of our entire lives.

"This cycle has to be broken and the only way that it can be broken is with the second state being created and recognized and it has to be viable state," said Karins.

Since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, the Israeli offensive into Gaza has killed more than 28,600 people and caused mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The conflict has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling this January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Despite international outcry, Israel plans a ground invasion of Rafah, which holds about 1.4 million refugees. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, "We will fight until complete victory and this includes a powerful action in Rafah."