Jakarta (ANTARA) - Israel's military aggression, which resulted in the killing of thousands of civilians in Gaza, Palestine, was not a form of self-defense, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said.

Apart from killing women and children among the civilian casualties, Israel soldiers have also damaged hospitals, places of worship, and refugee camps, as well as suppressed basic Palestinian rights, she said in a statement issued by her ministry.

"This action cannot be justified, and it clearly violates international humanitarian law," the statement quoted Marsudi as saying during a discussion on the future of human rights and peace and security at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday.

During the meeting, she invited UN member countries to renew their joint commitment on the development of human rights.

She noted that anyone committed to defending human rights must not remain silent and must not stop fighting for justice and humanity for Palestine.

"Indonesia deeply regrets the failure of the UN Security Council to pass the humanitarian ceasefire resolution. This reflects the failure of an outdated multilateral system," Marsudi remarked.

She called on other countries to reject the implementation of double standards, the greatest challenge to upholding human rights.

In this case, Marsudi referred to the support for Israel from Western countries that were highly vocal about human rights issues, while overlooking the human rights violations that Israel is committing in Gaza.

"The parties that often dictate to us to practice human rights are the ones who are now allowing Israel to violate human rights," she stressed.

She then emphasized that the ongoing human rights violations should be stopped immediately.

"The real peace process must begin immediately, especially towards a two-state solution, and the root of the cause in Palestine must be addressed thoroughly," she stated.

The panel discussion, titled "The Human Rights 75 Initiative Roundtable on the Future of Human Rights & Peace & Security," was held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and chaired by the Vice President of Colombia.

Apart from Marsudi, the three other panelists were the President of Poland, the President of Senegal, and the Palestinian Foreign Minister.

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Translator: Yashinta Difa P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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