Occupied Jerusalem, “The endless Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip is shocking, the level of destruction is unprecedented, the human tragedy unfolding under our watch is unbearable.” In these words, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini launched his appeal before the UN Security Council, may it assume its responsibilities and take a decision obligating the Israeli occupation to stop its brutal aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip.
The appeal came after the Council’s failure so far to do so as a result of preventing it by the US that used its “veto” against a Brazilian draft resolution and its opposition to two Russian ones.
Lazzarini made it clear that the occupation’s bombing forced more than half of the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million residents to flee from its north to the south since October 7, and the south was not immune from the bombing, as many were killed there, adding “there is no safe place in Gaza, and what is happening is forced displacement.
He pointed out that more than 670,000 displaced people are crowded into schools and UN buildings, living in unsanitary conditions, not receiving adequate food and water, sleeping on the ground or in the open, and hunger and despair are turning into disgust at the international community. He called for an immediate end to the aggression along with bringing humanitarian aid into the Strip before it is too late.
Lazzarini ‘s appeal and his talk about the unprecedented destruction in Gaza came after the media office in the Strip announced that the occupation ,till yesterday, had dropped 18,000 tons of explosives, that is, one and a half times larger than the size of the nuclear bomb that Washington dropped on Hiroshima, causing the complete destruction of 32.5 thousand housing units, damage to more than 200,000 units, in addition to the destruction of 85 institutions and dozens of public and service facilities, 45 schools, along with the damage to 203 schools, the removal of 15 hospitals and 32 primary care centers from service as a result of targeting or failure to bring in fuel, not to mention demolishing of 47 mosques completely by the occupation, causing damage to 102 mosques and three churches, in an infinite toll due to the continued heavy bombing of the Gaza Strip.
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, pointed out to the scarcity of drinking water in the Strip as a result of the aggression, saying “little clean water remains in Gaza is quickly running out, leaving more than 2 million people in dire need. We estimate that 55 per cent of the water supply infrastructure requires repair or rehabilitation. Only one desalination plant is operating at just 5 per cent capacity, while all six of Gaza’s water-waste treatment plants are now non-operational due to a lack of fuel or power.
She went on to say that the lack of clean water and safe sanitation is on the verge of becoming a catastrophe. Unless access to clean water is urgently restored, more civilians, including children, will fall ill or die from dehydration or waterborne diseases, she added.
China’s Ambassador at the UN, Zhang Jun, stressed that the Middle East peace process is now “on the brink of collapse”. Cease all hostilities, set a humanitarian truce in place and prevent escalation, he said, calling on the Israeli occupation to lift its siege, rescind the evacuation order and restore supply of basic necessities.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency
