Hamas warns of famine in Gaza as Israeli siege protracts for 10th day
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Hamas underlines that the threat of famine is looming over Gaza once again as the Israeli occupation continues its blockade on the war-torn strip.
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Palestinian women and girls struggle to reach for food at a distribution center in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 (AP)
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem warned that Gaza is facing the early stages of a real famine due to the Israeli occupation's continued blockade on the entry of food supplies for the tenth consecutive day. He stressed that the humanitarian situation has been dire since the beginning of the Israeli aggression.
In a statement, Qassem highlighted the severe food crisis gripping the besieged enclave, where essential supplies are running out under the ongoing blockade. He noted that the closure of border crossings constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, which stipulates the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid.
Hamas condemned the Israeli occupation's actions, calling the blockade a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
The movement described it as a flagrant war crime and collective punishment against civilians, warning that the siege has led to soaring food prices and a severe shortage of medical supplies amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe.
The group also pointed out that the closure of crossings is hindering recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The ban on the entry of heavy equipment has obstructed relief teams from carrying out their duties.
Resilience to remain unbroken
Hamas reaffirmed that the Israeli regime's use of humanitarian aid as a political bargaining tool will not break the Palestinian people’s resilience, vowing that they will continue their struggle to achieve their legitimate rights.
In its statement, Hamas urged the Arab League to implement the decisions made at the latest Arab summit and to intensify pressure on the Israeli occupation to reopen the crossings and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. It also called for an end to the blockade imposed on Gaza.
Meanwhile, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that Gaza’s current situation is reminiscent of the crisis in October 2023, stating that the Israeli occupation's continued restrictions on aid threaten the survival of civilians in the besieged enclave.
Repeat ceasefire violations
The blockade is not the only means the Israeli occupation is violating the ceasefire agreement reached with Hamas, as several Palestinians were martyred, and others were injured Monday in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a group of civilians in the central Gaza Strip.
Three Palestinians were killed in the drone strike, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, which targeted a gathering of civilians east of the Bureij Camp, while the Palestine Today agency highlighted that one martyr was transported to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah, while two other martyrs remain at the site of the attack.
Earlier on Monday, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported in its daily statistical update that nine martyrs had been recorded—five whose bodies were recovered and four newly confirmed—along with 16 injuries that arrived at hospitals in the past 24 hours.
This comes as "Israel" escalates its attack on Gaza, violating the ceasefire agreement, while it intensifies its blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid to the war-torn Strip.
The IOF added to their record of violations against civilians, shooting a woman on March 10 in the neighborhood of Tal al-Sultan, west of Rafah, while also opening fire in the town of al-Fukhari in Khan Younis.
