The African Union and Somalia Celebrate Gaza Ceasefire, Urging Its Continuation
(Minasse Wondimu Hailu – Anadolu Agency)
In a world as tumultuous as a caffeine-fueled newsroom, where tensions flicker like a neon sign, there’s a brewing dose of hope. The recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas resistance group has drawn applause from the African Union, Somalia, and South Africa, a trio adding harmony to what has been an all-too-dissonant symphony.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the orchestrator and chief conductor of the African Union Commission, lauded the pivotal ensemble cast of Qatar, Egypt, and the USA for their backstage magic. “I wish to commend the crucial role played by Qatar, Egypt & the USA,” he acknowledged, with a nod of professional courtesy. His words underlined the continent’s earnest plea for justice and tranquility to wander freely across Palestine’s humble avenues.
Meanwhile, in the land of the Springboks, South Africa echoes this call with a cultural flourish, emphasizing that “a just and lasting peace must bloom where only thorns have grown.” Protecting the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis, they stressed, is as indispensable as a trusty vuvuzela at a soccer match.
Throwing down the gauntlet, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson articulated with gravitas – because nothing says serious like officialdom – how the ceasefire marks the commencement of a long and winding road. The journey, fraught with humanitarian upheavals affecting 2.3 million souls in the Gaza Strip, has drawn the grim spotlight of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), deeming the situation plausibly “genocidal.” A mouthful, yet profoundly chilling.
This ceasefire is not just a ceasefire. It must serve as fertile soil for a garden of justice and peace, nurturing the vision of a contiguous, independent, and viable Palestinian state. Ah, sovereignty and territorial integrity—two elusive elixirs in the potion of peace that must be protected like an endangered species. Illegal settlements? Halt it, pronto! The world waits for no lone troubleshooter. South Africa didn’t just raise an eyebrow at Israel’s actions in Gaza; it marched to the vigorous drumbeat of the ICJ, demanding strict conformity with international and humanitarian law. “Must’ and ‘upheld’ are not mere suggestions; they are indelible commandments etched by the ink of justice.
On the horn of Africa, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud joined the chorus with buoyant optimism, tipping his hat to Qatar, Egypt, and the US for orchestrating this fragile peace. To paraphrase a universal truth, “It takes a village to build a peaceful neighborhood.” President Mohamud urged the international community to race against time, to deliver humanitarian aid urgently, as if it were water in a desert. “With this agreement, I stress the need for collective efforts to stabilize the ceasefire and prioritize the swift provision of humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering in Gaza,” he enthusiastically declared on Thursday, channeling the spirit of caring warriors.
Bolstered by an unwavering resolve to back peace, Somalia also voiced sustained advocacy for the Palestinian cause, championing an equitable and all-encompassing resolution. Mahmoud, ever the steadfast guardian of dreams, emphasized the critical necessity of establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian nation grounded on the age-old two-state solution. Ah, a two-state solution—does it hold out hope like a lighthouse in choppy seas? One can only ponder.
Wednesday witnessed a victorious proclamation from Doha’s very own Qatari Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman. With a flourish worthy of a maestro, he announced that mediating forces had secured a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, heralding a hopeful dawn beginning this Sunday. The spotlight, however, shifts to acknowledge the grim reality: the ceaseless suffering in Gaza, an ordeal that’s been dragging its weary feet into the history books for the past 467 days. A tragedy coupled with déjà vu—the unnecessary casualties, the cries of mothers echoing over debris, drowning in the statistics of over 156,000 casualties, many but echoes themselves, embodied by women and children.
Time is indifferent, but empathy is not. The massive humanitarian crisis—one of the most grievous global human tragedies in the annals of time—has exacted a terrible toll, leaving over 11,000 missing souls as it continues to devour what remains. Who will shine a light on those missing pages in the book of humanity?
Riyaz ul Khaliq in Istanbul lent his pen to this report with the ink of truth. Stars may twinkle in the sky; we, however, must forge our future under this canopy.
Report By Axadle
