High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri pays tribute to Palestinian people’s bravery, courage

Canberra: Pakistani High Commissioner in Australia Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri this week paid tribute to the Palestinian people’s bravery and courage.

“Amid the ruins of war, resilience shines through. Sharing from today’s The Australian a powerful image of people gathering for Iftar, sharing a meal surrounded by devastation—but not defeated by it. A testament to faith, unity,& the enduring human spirit,” the envoy posted on X.

The Australian in its report said: “As the sun set over a neighbourhood in Rafah, where fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants has left barely a handful of buildings standing, hundreds of Gazans of all ages dug into their Iftar meal marking the end of the day’s fast.”

“People are deeply saddened, and everything around us feels heartbreaking,” said Malak Fadda, who had organised the communal meal. “So, we decided to bring joy back to this street, just as it was before the war”.

As the crowd sat down to eat, uncertainty loomed over the next stages of the Gaza ceasefire, the first phase of which was drawing to a close on Saturday after largely bringing an end to more than 15 months of fighting.

A second stage is supposed to pave the way for a more permanent end to the war, but negotiations have so far been inconclusive.

Music wafted from loudspeakers through the crowd in Rafah, who sat on a long row of plastic chairs under bunting, Palestinian flags and lights strung between the broken concrete.

The war has left over 69 percent of Gaza’s buildings damaged or destroyed. Israeli bombardment or fighting has displaced almost the entire population and triggered widespread hunger, according to the United Nations.

The truce that took effect on January 19 has enabled greater aid flows into the devastated Palestinian territory, but hundreds of thousands continue to live in tents, with many camped out in the rubble of their former homes.

“On the first day of Ramadan, we had hoped to return to our houses to break our fast with our families and be together at our homes,” Rafah resident Umm al-Baraa Habib said. “But this is God’s will, and we remain steadfast,” she added.

High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri reiterated Pakistan’s support to the peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue.