⚖️ Israeli Attacks Kill Dozens Amid UN Calls for End to Gaza Blockade
Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have claimed the lives of at least 29 people, as the United Nations issued a stark warning about the blockade on the Palestinian territory, urging Israel to lift the restrictions and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.
At least eight people died in an Israeli air raid that struck the Abu Sahlul family home in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza. The airstrike was part of a broader assault that also saw fatalities in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood and nearby areas.
“We found houses destroyed, and children, women, and young people bombed to pieces,” said Ahmed Abu Zarqa, a local witness to the devastation.
🏚️ A Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The airstrikes come amid mounting concerns over the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where a total Israeli blockade has been in place for two months. The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, warned that Palestinians in Gaza are facing conditions incompatible with their survival, and likened the situation to starvation as a method of warfare, which could amount to a war crime.
As conditions worsen, basic food supplies have become scarce, with many Palestinians skipping meals and relying on spoiled food to survive. In some areas, bakeries and other aid services have shut down due to a severe lack of resources.
🚨 UN Calls for Humanitarian Relief and Lifting of the Blockade
In response, Tom Fletcher, the UN’s humanitarian chief, strongly criticized Israel’s continued blockade of Gaza, emphasizing that “aid should never be a bargaining chip” and calling the situation a form of “cruel collective punishment”.
“Blocking aid kills,” Fletcher remarked, adding that the current situation in Gaza has reached famine-like conditions.
The UNRWA has also voiced concerns over the ongoing blockade, stating that 3,000 aid trucks are currently stranded at the Gaza border, unable to deliver essential supplies. Around 1 million children are reportedly at risk due to the lack of food, water, and medical care.
🏛️ Qatar’s Legal Challenge at the ICJ
The issue of humanitarian aid and Israel’s obligations in Gaza has also been taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with Qatar filing a complaint and calling for an advisory opinion on the matter. During hearings, Qatar’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Mutlaq al-Qahtani, condemned Israel’s actions as a “genocidal war” against Palestinians and pointed to the mounting humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
UNRWA has stressed the importance of its mission in Gaza, stating that it remains the “backbone” of Palestinian aid efforts in the region, and called for a swift end to the blockade.
