Owaisi calls on PM to ensure humanitarian corridor, aid for Palestinians

HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, the Hyderabad MP, has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the head of the G20 nations group, to intervene and ensure that a humanitarian corridor to Gaza is established.

Speaking to mediapersons late on Monday night after a party-organised protest meeting in support of Palestinians, Owaisi said there was an urgent need for release of civilian prisoners and hostages from both sides, especially women, children and the elderly.

He said that back in 1948-49, when the Soviets blockaded Berlin, the USA and its allies, airdropped supplies for civilians for 18 months. Nearer home, in 1987, when Sri Lanka government laid siege to Jaffna, the Indian government airdropped essential supplies to people, he added.

“We hope our Prime Minister will take up this matter with Israel,” Owaisi said.

The meeting on Monday evening was addressed by several Islamic religious scholars and also by home minister Md Mahmood Ali. Owaisi said some states were not allowing pro-Palestine protests and the AIMIM condemned this attitude.

“There should be an immediate ceasefire and the hostilities should stop. “There are around 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, hospitals are running out of critical supplies. We condemn the targeting of civilian infrastructure by Israel, its plans to transfer Palestinians from Gaza into the Sinai desert of Egypt, and from the West Bank into Jordan,” he said.