Pakistan on Israeli attacks: 'Not conflict but a massacre'

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan's human rights minister on Saturday took exception to UN chief Antonio Guterres calling the current violence in the Mideast a "conflict," saying it is instead a “massacre.”

"With respect honorable SG (secretary general) this is not a conflict but a massacre by an Occupation Power & UN needs to enforce its responsibility to protect the Palestinian people against Israel's state terrorism," Shireen Mazari said on Twitter.

"Remember Ch(arter) VII of UN Charter!” she added, referring to section of the document allowing for the UN Security Council to determine the existence of any threat to the peace, or act of aggression, and to take military and nonmilitary action to restore international peace and security.

On Friday, Guterres called for "de-escalation" and "cessation of hostilities" in Gaza and Israel.

"I appeal for an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities in Gaza and Israel. Too many innocent civilians have already died. This conflict can only increase radicalization and extremism in the whole region," he said in a tweet.

Israeli attacks on the blockaded Gaza Strip killed eight more Palestinians early Saturday, bringing the death toll to 139, along with 950 injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Six children and two women were killed by Israeli forces in the latest attack on a residence.

Tensions have been running high in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem and at the Al-Aqsa Mosque since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as Israeli forces and settlers assaulted Palestinians.

Tensions spread from East Jerusalem to Gaza after Palestinian resistance groups there vowed to retaliate against Israeli assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Sheikh Jarrah if they were not halted.