The Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, has urgently appealed to both Israel and Palestine to put an end to military hostilities, citing that both parties return, without conditions, to the negotiating table to implement the principle of two States living side by side.
The move, Mahamat said in a statement issued on Sunday, October 8, is part of a series of attempts to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people.
The AU chief’s remarks followed an outbreak of military hostilities between both countries, after Palestine militants launched a surprise land, sea, and air attack from Gaza, leaving hundreds dead.
Saturday’s shock attacks by Hamas led to the deadliest day in decades for Israel and also followed months of surging violence between Palestinians and Israelis with the decades-long conflict now heading into uncharted and dangerous new territory.
According to the AU statement, the chairperson of the commission expressed his utmost concern at the outbreak of the current Israeli-Palestinian hostilities, causing grave consequences for the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians in particular, and for peace in the region, in general.
"The Chairperson wishes to recall that denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly that of an independent and sovereign State, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli-Palestinian tension,”
He added; "The Chairperson further calls on the international community, and the major world powers in particular, to assume their responsibilities to impose peace and guarantee the rights of the two peoples.”
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, Hamas launched thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel – making direct hits on multiple locations inside the country including Tel Aviv – while armed terror groups entered Israel and infiltrated military bases, towns, and farms.
According to local media reports, Israel responded by launching air strikes on what the government said were Hamas targets in Gaza, while its forces clashed on the ground with Hamas fighters in villages, army bases, and border crossings.