Hundreds of thousands of Gazans choose to remain in north Gaza: NYT

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The New York Times
8 Nov 2023 07:00

Locals in northern Gaza say that massacres are taking place even in southern areas which have been alleged to be safe by the Israeli occupation.

A woman carries a white flag to prevent being shot, as Palestinians flee Gaza City to the southern Gaza Strip on Salah al-Din Street in Bureij, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 (AP)

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are still residing in the northern Gaza Strip and suffering the joint aggression of the Israeli occupation infantry, artillery, and airforce, amid a rising number of casualties, and a severe resource shortage, The New York Times reports.

Locals in northern Gaza explained to the newspaper that massacres are taking place even in southern areas which have been alleged to be safe by the Israeli occupation, pointing out that moving to the south doesn't guarantee safety but subjects them to the intolerable humiliation of forced displacement in addition to the risk of death.

Even those with foreign passports and dual nationality who can leave the Strip say that they're not willing to risk the dangers of traveling south to the Rafah border crossing.

The World Health Organization (#WHO) said an average of 160 children are killed each day in #Gaza as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Strip.

"The level of death and suffering is hard to fathom," WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.… pic.twitter.com/0lWYlTIwyg
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 8, 2023

A recent report published by The Wall Street Journal shows that the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has brought the Strip to the brink of a devastating water crisis.

Clean water has become a critically scarce resource, severely affecting the lives of the locals.

According to the United Nations, water production (through desalination) in Gaza has plummeted to just 5% of pre-aggression levels, a shocking statistic that paints a grim picture of the Strip's current state.

The limited water that remains in Gaza is causing severe health issues among its residents, with both the United Nations and healthcare workers sounding the alarm.

The crisis is particularly dire in northern Gaza, which has been the primary focus of the Israeli aggression, The Wall Street Journal highlighted. Safe drinking water is no longer available in this area, as it is encircled by Israeli occupation troops, effectively cutting off the supply.

Desperate for water, many residents are left with no choice but to drink from whatever sources they can find, often turning to wells contaminated by saltwater, chemicals, and various other pollutants. These survival measures, driven by necessity, come with life-threatening consequences, particularly for the vulnerable, such as children. Gaza's healthcare system, already teetering on the edge of collapse, is ill-equipped to deal with the repercussions of this water crisis.