TEHRAN: As the scheduled end of the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas approaches, Iran has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to put an end to Israel’s “crimes” in the Palestinian territory.
The truce, which began on Friday, has seen the release of dozens of hostages, with over 100 Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel in exchange.
Nasser Kanani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, emphasized Iran’s expectation for a complete halt to the “crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people.”
Speaking at his weekly press conference, Kanani disclosed that Iran is closely monitoring the extension of the truce in collaboration with Qatar, a regional player actively involved in the ongoing negotiations.
Iran Condemns Israel’s “Cruel Aggression” in Gaza
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, during a recent visit to the Qatari capital Doha, highlighted the main goal of ensuring the temporary ceasefire takes a stable form to prevent a recurrence of the “cruel aggression” of Israel against Gaza.
Despite the potential extension of the truce, Kanani expressed concern that Israel, having failed to achieve its objectives during the offensive on Gaza, might seek to obtain a “tangible victory” through continued military actions.
Iran has consistently condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a genocide. While denying direct involvement in Hamas’s attack on Israel, the Palestinian resistance group’s surprise attack on October 7 resulted in significant casualties on both sides.
Israel launched a military campaign in response, resulting in a high number of civilian casualties, mainly women and children.
