Nakba Day: Iran reaffirms solidarity with Palestinians, says Israeli criminals must be punished

Iran has reaffirmed its solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine, saying the Israeli perpetrators of the recent crimes in the besieged Gaza Strip must be punished.

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday issued a statement to mark the 75th anniversary of the illegal creation of the Israeli regime, known among Palestinians as the Day of Nakba, or the Day of Catastrophe, which is commemorated every year on May 15.

More than 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly removed from their ancestral homes in Palestine and 500 villages and towns were destroyed by Zionist militias before the Israeli regime declared its illegal existence. Palestinians are still enduring the repercussions of this catastrophe to this day.

In its statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of supporting the Palestinian people's resistance against the Israeli regime and their legitimate cause to liberate the occupied territories and establish an independent and integrated state with al-Quds as its capital.

It said all political plans presented over the past three decades have failed to produce any tangible outcome as they did not address the root causes of the crisis.

It once again reiterated that the resolution of the conflict lies with the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland, and a referendum with the participation of all the original inhabitants of Palestine, including Muslims, Christians and Jews, with the purpose of determining their own fate and the type of the political system.

The ministry condemned the crimes committed by the child-killing Zionist regime in recent days against the residents of Gaza, who have been under siege for more than 18 years in the largest natural prison, emphasizing that the criminal acts were a clear violation of international principles and laws as well as a gross violation of human rights.

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The Palestinian Foreign Ministry demanded crossings into Gaza reopen in order to allow entry of medical and food supplies.

It added that the silence and inaction of the Zionists' supporters and the so-called advocates of human rights have added to the Tel Aviv regime's insolence, stressing the necessity of punishing Israeli officials as the perpetrators of the recent crimes against humanity. 

"Undoubtedly, unity and cohesion of the Muslim Ummah and determination and will of all freedom-seeking governments and nations across the world to support the oppressed Palestinian nation is a necessity and responsibility and is considered an added value for the liberation struggles of the Palestinian nation," the Iranian ministry said.

It added that Nakba Day was "one of the most painful tragedies" in history and the formation of a "cancerous tumor" in the Muslim world and the strategic region of West Asia.

The statement said the sinister phenomenon has caused the "longest and saddest political and human crisis" over the past century and widespread insecurity in the region, organized occupation and cruel usurpation of the Palestinian territory, the genocide of the Palestinians and violation of the most basic human rights.

It hailed the righteous path of the Palestinian people and the resistance groups to achieve freedom in the face of the Israeli regime's terrorist and criminal acts as well as the painful silence and inaction of the international community.

It noted that the Palestinian people, resistance groups and fighters have succeeded in achieving great victories through their unity which totally changed the equations on the battlefield.

The deterrence power of the Palestinian resistance groups is the shield of the Palestinian nation against the Israeli regime's brutality, which cannot be negotiated, the ministry pointed out.

It said the resistance front is currently in its best condition while the Israeli regime is in its worst position in the past 75 years as a result of its desperation in the face of the resistance's power and internal divisions and disputes.

"The process of decline and collapse of the temporary Zionist regime has begun," the ministry concluded.

The Israeli regime has been continuously bombarding Gaza since May 9, assassinating several resistance commanders. In response, Palestinian resistance factions have launched retaliatory strikes toward Israeli cities and settlements.  

On Saturday, Palestinian resistance groups said a ceasefire agreement was reached with Israel to end five days of the regime’s ruthless onslaught on the coastal strip.

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At least 33 Palestinians, including 13 civilians, were killed and 147 others wounded in the latest round of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s health ministry. 

The conflict marked the worst episode of fighting between Gaza's resistance factions and the Israeli regime since a 10-day war in 2021.

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