2023-11-06 21:52:20
Barcelona”The nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis; it is a crisis of humanity”. With this strong statement, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has condemned the disproportionate killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, where the symbolic figure of 10,000 dead has been exceeded the day before the first month of the war is completed , according to the balance sheet of the Palestinian authorities. “The conflict, which is intensifying, is shaking the world, the region and, more tragically, it is destroying many innocent lives,” he lamented, stressing that “clear violations of international humanitarian law” are taking place.
“Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground operations and continued shelling of civilians, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, churches and UN facilities, including shelters, mean that no one is safe “, he continued. And although he has been forceful against the Israeli attacks, Guterres’ speech – in a press conference where he did not accept questions – has sought balance to avoid new criticism from the Jewish government, and has reiterated the condemnation of actions by Hamas, both for its hostage-taking and its use of civilians “as human shields” and its “indiscriminate” rocket attacks on Israel.
“Let me be clear: no party in an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law,” he maintained, and launched the umpteenth call for a humanitarian cease-fire, “more urgent with each passing hour.”
“A Creature Graveyard”
“Gaza is becoming a cemetery for children. Every day hundreds of children are reported dead,” the UN Secretary General lamented. According to official data from the Gaza Ministry of Health, of the total of 10,022 deaths that have been counted so far in the Strip, at least 4,104 are minors, to which must be added about 1,250 who are feared to be missing under the rune According to the same source, the Israeli bombardments – which were particularly intense last night, according to witnesses – have also caused more than 25,400 injuries.
Humanitarian organizations, including those linked to the UN, give credence to the Gaza government’s figures, which are based on information from hospitals. Despite the fact that the United States government, and Joe Biden himself, have questioned the numbers, this Monday the Pentagon spokesman, Patrick Ryder, said that they have information that confirms that there are “thousands” of civilian deaths in Gaza.
In addition to the large number of dead creatures, Guterres has also highlighted the record number of journalists and humanitarian personnel killed in just one month of war. “More United Nations aid workers have been killed than in any comparable period in the entire history of our organization,” said the Secretary-General, who regretted that many of the 89 aid workers died along with their families.
Among the confirmed dead, there are almost 200 medical workers, while 16 hospitals (out of a total of 35) have ceased to be operational due to a lack of basic products, especially fuel. According to the Palestinian authorities, in addition, in the last hours the Al-Rantisi pediatric hospital has been the subject of attacks and bombs have destroyed the solar panels and water tanks, while the Israeli army has said that no I was aware of it. The Israel Defense Forces justify the bombing of medical centers by asserting that Hamas uses them to hide commanders and weapons. The Islamist group, which controls the Strip, has denied this and has urged the United Nations to carry out inspections of these facilities.
Unsustainable aid from Egypt
What little humanitarian aid has flowed into Gaza since Israel allowed the temporary opening of the Rafah crossing has not included fuel, straining critical facilities such as hospitals, which depend on the few reserves they have left to run the generators. Before the start of the war, between 750 and 850 trucks with humanitarian aid entered the Strip every day, of which around 500 through the Rafah crossing and the rest from the border crossings with Israel. A total of 476 have come in since October 21, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which reported receiving just 25 as of Sunday.
The top officials of the main United Nations bodies have published a joint statement this Monday in which they urge an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. “An entire people is besieged and attacked, without access to what is essential to survive, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. It is unacceptable,” says the statement, signed by eighteen UN leaders , like the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk; WHO Director Tedros Adhanom and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths. “We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This has to stop now.”
Gaza City, surrounded
While the airstrikes do not stop – in addition, in the middle of a telecommunications blackout -, the Israeli army is also advancing in the ground operation and assures that it has encircled the city of Gaza and that it has divided the Strip in two . “Now we will start to get closer,” said an Israeli military spokesman this Monday, who added that the attacks will also be carried out “underground”, that is, in its underground tunnels and bunkers.
And in northern Israel, the exchange of fire also continues. This Monday afternoon the Hebrew army said it was responding with artillery fire to the launch of 30 rockets from Lebanon. Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, has reported that it fired 16 rockets from Lebanese territory towards the Israeli city of Nahariya and south of Haifa. And IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari noted that fighter jets were striking a wide range of Hezbollah targets and assured that the army would continue to have a “significant response” whenever Israel is attacked from from Lebanon
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