As Israel’s latest aggression against Palestine approaches 50 days of siege, bombardment, and wanton killings of civilians, including women, children, the elderly and the most vulnerable people, the international community’s role or lack thereof remains a puzzle.
The devastation and violence in the wake of the occupation army’s actions have led several United Nations agencies, even the secretary-general, to lament attacks on safe places for civilians.
The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, in a letter to the UN secretary-general, emphasised that the atrocities and terrorism committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip constitute an insult to humanity and cannot be justified under any pretext.
In the letter also sent to the President of the Security Council for the current month (China) and the President of the UN General Assembly, Mansour notes over 12,200 Palestinians have been killed, including 3,250 women and 5,000 children, with 29,000 injured. Additionally, about 4,000 people remain under the rubble. Besides, over 200 Palestinians were martyred, and around 3,000 were injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in recent Israeli attacks on refugee camps in Jenin, Balata, and Dheisheh.
Mansour bemoaned Israel’s penchant for attacking United Nations facilities and shelters protected by the UN flag repeatedly without any consequences.
The UN Chief, Antonio Guterres, on the other hand, has labelled the killing of civilians as “unparalleled and unprecedented” since he took office in 2017. Earlier yesterday, Israeli artillery fire on the Indonesian Hospital killed at least 12 people. Patients, medical staff and displaced Palestinians remain inside the complex, which is surrounded by Israeli tanks, according to an Al Jazeera report.
The Palestinian Health Ministry announced it faces enormous difficulties accessing updated information for the seventh consecutive day due to the breakup of communications in the Gaza Strip and the collapse of service and communication in the hospitals of the northern part of the strip. The Israeli occupation continues its intense and unprecedented aggression for the 45th day on the occupied Palestinian territory. Israel has also cut off water and electricity, blocking the entrance of medicine, food supplies and vital help, which accentuates the complexity and danger of the humanitarian situation of civilian lives.
The fact that this is being done in a world where international laws are stipulated shows the divide between who is held accountable and who isn’t. There’s no justification for taking innocent lives, and it is indeed a shame to humanity if this aggression goes on without repercussions.
