Three months of war
UN warns: The Gaza Strip has become “uninhabitable”.
Large parts of the Gaza Strip have been destroyed following Israel’s attacks
© APAimages / Imago Images
The population in the Gaza Strip is getting worse with every day of the war. Aid organizations are talking about an impending famine, and South Africa is even talking about genocide. Three months after the start of the war, Israel is facing serious accusations – and is defending itself.
UN warns of health catastrophe
“The last 12 weeks have been traumatic, especially for children,” said UN emergency relief coordinator Griffiths. “No food. No water. No school. Nothing but the terrible sounds of war, day after day.” According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 22,000 people have been killed since the war began. The number cannot be verified, but is considered credible.
Even areas where civilians were staying at Israel’s request were bombed, Griffiths said. Medical facilities are also being “relentlessly attacked.” However, he did not say who carried out the attacks. The few hospitals that are still partially functional are being overrun by desperate people seeking protection. “A health catastrophe is looming.” On the other hand, the representative of the Israeli Cogat authority responsible for humanitarian aid, Elad Goren, said: “We have stabilized the humanitarian situation on site.”
Israel’s army calls on the UN to increase its own capacities
There is also a “stabilization of the medical system” in Gaza. The military official also rejected allegations that Israel was hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. “Israel has not and will not deny human assistance to the non-terrorist people of Gaza,” Goren said. Israel’s army is doing everything it can to spare civilians in the war. In order for more aid to reach Gaza, the UN and other aid organizations must “urgently” increase their capacity to receive and distribute aid.
The Gaza war was triggered by the horrific terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas and other extremist Palestinian groups on October 7th. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive.
South Africa wants to end the fighting in Gaza
Griffiths again called for an immediate end to the war. South Africa wants to ensure that the International Court of Justice in The Hague first orders a cessation of fighting in an expedited manner. To prevent this, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has instructed its embassies abroad to persuade local diplomats and politicians to issue a statement against South Africa’s lawsuit, according to the news portal Axios. The hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for next week. Judgments by the UN court are usually binding. However, judges have no power to force a state to implement it.
Israel firmly rejects South Africa’s allegations. Hamas is solely responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza. After strong criticism from some right-wing extremist Israeli ministers, Israel’s army has now defended a planned investigation into its own mistakes that made the Hamas massacre on October 7 possible. The military must learn from mistakes, said spokesman Daniel Hagari on Friday evening. Several right-wing extremist ministers are calling for the repopulation of the Gaza Strip after the war. Defense Minister Joav Galant rejects this.
Another exchange of fire on Israel’s northern border
Meanwhile, the Israeli army and Hezbollah in Lebanon say they have attacked each other again. Fighter jets bombed Iranian-allied militia facilities near Majdalsun and Aita al-Shaab, the military said on Friday. These were Hezbollah military posts and places from which terrorists had prepared their attacks. Lebanese security sources confirmed the attacks. Israel’s military said it also registered several rockets that were fired towards Israel.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there have been almost daily confrontations in the border region between Israel’s army and Hezbollah, which is allied with Hamas. Israel is demanding that Hezbollah withdraw from the border for the safety of its citizens in the north of the country and has threatened to use military force if diplomatic efforts are unsuccessful.
On Saturday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell continues his trip to Lebanon. US Secretary of State Blinken visits Turkey and Greece before heading to the Middle East.