Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif made an impassioned appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during his address to the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, warning that Israel’s “genocidal onslaught” against Palestinians risked becoming one of history’s darkest chapters.
Calling the situation in Gaza “one of the most heart-wrenching tragedies of our times,” the Prime Minister said that Israeli bombardment had unleashed “unspeakable terror upon women and children.” He told world leaders that for nearly 80 years Palestinians had endured brutal occupation, and that the ongoing assault had surpassed all previous levels of cruelty.
Sharif cited the story of Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl whose desperate phone call for help as she lay trapped under rubble shocked the world. “Can you imagine that little girl as your daughter?” he asked. “We failed Hind Rajab. The smallest coffins are the heaviest to carry.” The Prime Minister linked this tragedy to the universal responsibility of nations, declaring: “We cannot—we must not—fail these children of Gaza, or any child anywhere.”
The Prime Minister demanded an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian assistance to civilians, and a political roadmap for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He stressed that Palestine “can no longer remain under Israeli shackles” and “must be liberated.”
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s historic support for Palestine, recalling that Islamabad recognized the State of Palestine in 1988. He welcomed recent recognitions of Palestinian statehood by other countries and urged more governments to follow suit. He also condemned Israel’s “rogue behavior,” including a recent attack on Doha and violations of multiple countries’ sovereignty.
While his speech covered other critical issues such as India’s aggression, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, terrorism, climate change, and UN reforms, it was his strong words on Gaza that drew the most attention.
Sharif also praised recent diplomatic efforts, including President Donald Trump’s consultations with Arab and Islamic states, saying they had “rekindled hope for a ceasefire in the near future.”
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister urged the United Nations and its members to act with urgency and compassion: “Let us not simply commemorate history. Let us make history—for peace, for justice, and for the children of Gaza.”
