LISBON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese authorities have condemned an attack that destroyed a hospital in the Gaza Strip, and expressed their condolences for the hundreds of innocent victims.
On Wednesday, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa advocated for an "independent investigation so that there is no doubt about who fired the missile," as well as urging Israel to cease its attack on the enclave.
Costa added that it is important to "support all the proposals presented by the Secretary-General of the United Nations."
It is also vital to have "a genuine ceasefire" in the conflict in that region, so that a "humanitarian corridor" can be implemented, the prime minister said.
A "just and lasting peace in the region" must involve the recognition of two autonomous states, he said.
Meanwhile, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed shock at the explosion, "whether intentional or not," but refrained from taking sides. He recommended more silence and diplomacy in the face of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
President of the Portuguese Parliament Augusto Santos Silva condemned the attack on the Gaza hospital, expressing "solidarity with the victims, their families, and, in general, with the civilian population." ■