•Over 123,000 displaced by airstrikes in Gaza, says UN

Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), yesterday, reacted to attacks on civilians in Israel launched by Hamas militants from Gaza.

The association, in a statement, condemned the assault, which began in the early hours of Saturday morning.

PFN President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, was said to have expressed shock over the incident, which he described as a terrorist attack against unarmed and defenseless civilians.

“Our hearts are gripped by a profound sense of sorrow and outrage. PFN strongly condemns the horrific and brutal killings. We condemn this act of unprecedented evil against humanity.

“Innocent civilians, Israeli citizens and other citizens of the world found themselves under siege in their homes, offices, cars, and places of business, and celebrations. This is unspeakable terror; the boundaries of humanity have been crossed,” PFN said.

The federation said it “stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, against whom this horrific terror has been unleashed”, adding: “Our prayers are with you in this hour of darkness.”

But in a different reaction, members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), known as Shiites, in Abuja, staged a protest in support of Palestinians, following retaliatory attacks by Israel on Hamas fighters and the Gaza Strip.

The protesters, who brandished the Palestinian flag, were seen at the popular Banex Plaza and at Ahmadu Bello Way. They chanted anti-Israeli songs and set ablaze a flag of the Jewish state.

Sheikh Sidi Munir Sokoto, who issued a statement on behalf of IMN, said: “We are demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine for the success recorded in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against the state of Israel. Palestine launched the Al-Aqsa Flood to respond to recent attacks by Israeli occupation forces on Al-Aqsa mosque and the Gaza refugee camp.”

He added: “Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, located at the heart of Jerusalem’s old city, is the third holiest site in Islam. Supporting the struggle for the freedom of Palestine is not only for Muslims alone, but for all people of conscience.”

Meanwhile, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), yesterday, reported that over 123,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been internally displaced in the wake of Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes.

The agency said people fled out of fear for their safety or because their homes had been destroyed.

According to OCHA, Gaza’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing said 159 housing units had been destroyed and 1,210 others severely damaged.

It also disclosed that airstrikes caused damage to water and sanitation infrastructure for more than 400,000 people, as well as several health facilities. (The Guardian)

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