Doha - 13 November 2013

The State of Qatar strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces' shelling of the Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza's headquarters, considering it a clear violation of international law and an extension of the occupation's approach in targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, population centers, and shelters for displaced persons.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the bombing of the Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza's headquarters is an extension of the policy of targeting civilians, especially since this committee has worked through its projects to alleviate the suffering of the population in the besieged Gaza Strip due to the long blockade and ongoing aggression.

The ministry underscored the urgent need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its repeated crimes against civilians and civilian infrastructure and pressure it to comply with international laws.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on the Israeli occupation to stop providing insubstantial justifications for targeting civilian facilities, health institutions, civilians, while using misleading information. The ministry underlined that such actions are unacceptable under any circumstances, and it cannot justify targeting the committee's headquarters, which has been involved in the reconstruction of what the occupation has destroyed in its repeated wars on the Gaza Strip.