Gaza under Israeli fire, UN calls for action not words
3 Min Read
While the Israeli occupation continues bombarding Gaza's civilians, a UN official stresses that "Israel" must be held accountable, not by words, but by "urgent, unequivocal action."
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Palestinians try to extinguish fire caused by an Israeli strike that hit a tent area in the courtyard of Al Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, October 14, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli occupation forces murdered five Palestinians and injured others after targeting their home in southwestern Gaza City, in northern Gaza, early into Thursday.
The vicinity of al-Mina in westernmost Gaza City and Palestinian homes in west Jabalia also came under intense Israeli artillery shelling.
Meanwhile, as "Israel" continues targeting displaced civilians seeking shelter and safety, Khalifa School, located near Sheikh Zayed in northern Gaza, was bombarded with internationally banned and illegal white phosphorus bombs, which caused raging fires.
This comes after the occupation burned alive Palestinians sheltering in makeshift tents on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
The crime garnered an abundance of backlash, with the United Nations condemning the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urging the international community to take immediate action.
Read more: Al-Aqsa Martyrs massacre shows 'Israel's' Nazi-like nature: Factions
Worsening, incomprehensible, and indescribable humanitarian crisis
Joyce Msuya, acting under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), emphasized the catastrophic state of Palestinians in Gaza, particularly burn victims, following the hospital massacre.
Speaking at the UN Security Council session called by Algeria, Msuya said, "There is no way to get them the urgent care they need to survive and manage such injuries. If such horror does not awaken our sense of humanity and propel us to action, what will?"
She further stressed that "Israel" must be held accountable, not by words, but by "urgent, unequivocal action," adding that the humanitarian situation is only getting worse, incomprehensible, and indescribable by the day amid the relentless Israeli bombardment.
"No food aid entered northern Gaza from October 2 to October 15, when a trickle was allowed in, and all essential supplies for survival are running out," she mentioned, adding that humanitarian aid provided by the UN was blocked from entering northern Gazan hospitals for nine times before finally being approved by the Israeli military.
Describing only a fraction of what Palestinians in Gaza have to suffer, she said, "Drivers from the UN and the Palestine Red Crescent Society were subjected to humiliating treatment ... Medical staff kept one child alive by hand pumping oxygen for over seven hours until they made it through the checkpoint."
Msuya finally called on the Security Council to use its influence and ensure the protection of civilians and their needs.
Read more: Conditions in Gaza akin to the 'depths of hell': Save the Children
