Commemoration of October 7 massacre of Israelis: Ghana calls for peaceful resolution between Israel, Palestine

The Government of Ghana has appealed to the states of Israel and Palestine to work together to realise the right to respectively exist within secure borders and self-determination.

The Director of the Middle East Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Louisa Hanson, said, “Ghana is greatly concerned at the ongoing escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Israel’s southern and northern borders, which threatens to engulf the region by the actions of other parties and threatens global peace.”

Commemoration

She was speaking at the commemoration of one year of the Hammas massacre of the State of Israel at the residence of the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana in Accra last Tuesday.

The massacre, which took place on October 7, 2023, resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis, while 251 Jews, Muslims, Christians, Israelis, Americans, Russians and others were abducted to Gaza. Currently, 101 of the captives are still held in Gaza.

The speeches were preceded by an emotionally charged documentary that depicted graphically what took place on October 7, 2023, made up of the killings and the taking of ho

Rabbi Noach Majesky, an Israeli led the guests in Hebrew prayers, while Bishop Dick Essandoh of the Action Chapel International prayed in English.

Empathising with Israeli

Ms Hanson said Ghana recognised the pain and loss and honour the memory of those who were killed and those still in captivity in Gaza, adding, “Together, we remember their names and their stories.”

She said the condemnation of the October 7 massacre last year by Ghana underscored the fervent desire of Ghana that the entire international community would be making concerted efforts to foster a climate of understanding and peaceful co-existence in the entire Middle East.

“It is our fervent hope, therefore, that the two sides to the conflict will work together to realise this aspiration, which must leave no room or have any place for terrorism and anti-semitism.

“In commemorating the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre, it is our hope that by the next anniversary, the remaining 101 hostages, who are still in captivity would have been released and returned safely to their families and Israel and the entire region will be living in peace and prosperity,” Ms Hanson said.

In an emotional message, the Ambassador-designate of the State of Israel in Ghana, Roey Gilad, described October 7, 2023, as “the biggest disaster that met the Jewish people since the end of the Second World War and the State of Israel since our establishment as an independent state in 1948”.

“For us Israelis, the darkest day of our history started on the 7th of October at 06.29 but never ended since. We are still mourning the dead and yearning for our captive brothers and sisters.

“As a nation, we were badly hurt on the 7th of October. Yet, our wounds will not be healed till the last abducted person returns home,” Mr Gilad said.

He commended Ghana for supporting Israel and making its position known in the October 7 massacre, adding, “We ask our friends in Ghana to lead other African nations in understanding better, the challenges that Israel is facing.”

Writer’s Email: severious.dery@graphic.com.gh