Gaza under most intensive bombardment of civilians since WW2: UNRWA
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UNRWA underlines that the Palestinian people in Gaza are being subjected to the most intensive aerial bombardment campaign of civilians since World War II.
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Palestinian women and children queue for bread in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Thursday, November 28, 2024 (AP)
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated on Friday that the Gaza Strip has been subjected to the heaviest bombardment targeting civilians since World War II.
In a statement issued to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, UNRWA highlighted the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, describing the crisis as a continuation of the world's longest unresolved refugee issue. The agency expressed grave concern over the lack of international deterrence to the ongoing violence.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, in a message shared on X, emphasized that "wars always affect the most vulnerable first." He noted that at least 70% of those killed in the ongoing war in Gaza are women and children, including young girls.
Lazzarini revealed that the seven-week-long military operation in northern Gaza has displaced over 130,000 individuals. Many now seek refuge in abandoned homes, clinics, or destroyed shops, while some are forced to sleep in the open.
Across Gaza, approximately 50,000 pregnant women and many breastfeeding mothers face dire conditions amid unsanitary environments. "Menstrual hygiene has become a hardship for most women and girls, with nearly 700,000 unable to access sanitary products due to scarcity or exorbitant costs," Lazzarini added. The price of basic items like soap has risen by an astounding 1,100%.
Israeli violations amid ceasefire calls
The Commissioner-General reiterated his call for a ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of women and girls and urged the establishment of a regular, unified flow of life-saving supplies, including essential hygiene products.
The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed annually on November 29, is marked worldwide with events highlighting the Israeli occupation's violations of Palestinian rights. The United Nations established the day in 1977 as a reminder of the Palestinian plight.
Meanwhile, the occupation continues its assault on Gaza, ignoring arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Israeli occupation has also disregarded a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and the International Court of Justice's directives to prevent civilian harm.
'Critical shortages' impending
The World Health Organization warned Thursday of severe shortages of medications, food, housing, and fuel in Gaza, particularly in the north, urging the Israeli occupation to allow more aid into the strip.
The WHO described the situation on the ground as "catastrophic", with chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describing how at the start of the war, virtually all of those displaced by the violence sought refuge in public institutions or with family members, whereas now "90% are living in tents."
At a news briefing at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, he described how Palestinians are left vulnerable to "respiratory and other diseases, (while) cold weather, rain, and flooding are expected to exacerbate food insecurity and malnutrition."
This week, the WHO and its partners conducted a three-day journey to the north, visiting over a dozen health institutions, where the UN predicted an imminent famine.
The WHO's head stated that the team had observed a "high number of trauma patients and an increasing number of patients with chronic diseases needing treatment as well as a severe shortage of medicine.
He insisted the WHO is "doing everything we can -- everything Israel allows us to do -- to deliver health services and supplies."
UN says 'Israel' blocked all Nov. life-saving aid bids in north Gaza
The United Nations reported on Tuesday that the Israeli occupation had obstructed all UN efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip throughout November.
"None of the UN's 41 attempts to reach Palestinians in besieged areas of North Gaza with life-saving assistance this month has been facilitated by Israeli authorities," stated UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq during a news conference.
Haq revealed that Israeli authorities denied 37 missions outright, while four were approved but then were impeded on the ground, achieving only partial success. With winter approaching, thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinians face worsening conditions, including health risks from sewage build-up in overcrowded areas.
Heavy rains have inundated displacement tents across the Gaza Strip, compounding the already dire conditions for Palestinians as Israeli attacks intensify.
The Palestinian Civil Defense warned on Monday that the arrival of winter is ushering in "a real humanitarian catastrophe." Thousands of forcibly displaced individuals have been severely impacted by flooding, prompting urgent calls for global intervention to deliver humanitarian aid to the struggling population.
