Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, stressed that the ongoing Israeli military attacks, air strikes, and the suffocating blockade are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to a horrific extent. This situation can only be described as a campaign of extermination and ethnic cleansing targeting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
A majority of Gazans must make do with just one litre of water for all their needs. At times, people are forced to use unsanitary water sources, and clean drinking water is scarce, despite the average person needing about 140 litres. This dire situation is a result of the destruction of desalination plants and their inability to function due to fuel shortages, Mr. Aboul Gheit added.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, quoted Mr. Aboul Gheit as saying that this crisis is causing a severe public health emergency, increasing the risk of infectious diseases. The situation is compounded by the closure of several hospitals and health facilities due to the depletion of fuel reserves, which have been deliberately targeted by Israeli forces, even including ambulances. This represents a blatant violation of the most fundamental laws of warfare.
Mr. Aboul Gheit appealed to the member states of the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to halt the aggression and implement a humanitarian ceasefire. This is essential to ensure the delivery of vital supplies needed to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Mr. Aboul Gheit emphasised that the threat of famine is looming, particularly since 1.2 million people in Gaza were already experiencing food insecurity prior to the recent Israeli aggression. After 17 years of a suffocating blockade, the entire population now faces the grim prospect of famine, uncertain of where their next meal will come from.
Roshdy noted that the number of trucks entering through the Rafah crossing remains far below the requirements to avert a full-blown humanitarian crisis. Even after these relief supplies and foodstuffs make it into the Strip, distribution operations encounter significant challenges due to fuel shortages and the relentless Israeli bombings. There is no safe refuge for Gaza's population, neither in the north nor the south, which underscores the pressing need for a humanitarian ceasefire to safeguard civilians amidst the chaos of warfare and the looming danger of famine.
