According to the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders, Israel’s military operations and the blockade of humanitarian assistance have turned Gaza into a graveyard for Palestinians and those assisting them.
Since the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023, Israel has been engaged in military operations in Gaza, which resumed in March after a two-month ceasefire collapsed over disagreements concerning the next steps.
Israel has blocked humanitarian aid since 2 March, displacing hundreds of thousands of people prior to the breakdown of the truce.
The United Nations reported that there is a critical shortage of medical supplies, fuel, water, and other vital resources.
In a troubling incident last month, Israeli forces fired upon ambulances in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 15 medics and rescue workers, an event that drew widespread international condemnation.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concerns earlier this month about the killings of medics and humanitarian personnel, suggesting they may constitute “war crimes by the Israeli army.”
“We are witnessing in real-time the destruction and forced displacement of the entire population in Gaza,” stated Ms. Bazerolle.
“With no safe havens available for Palestinians or those attempting to assist them, the humanitarian response is severely hampered by insecurity and critical shortages, leaving individuals with limited, if any, access to care,” she added.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has reiterated that Israel will not permit any humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, aiming to pressure Hamas while negotiations on an Israeli ceasefire proposal for Gaza are ongoing.
“Israel’s policy is clear: no humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza, and blocking this aid is one of the key pressure tactics to prevent Hamas from exploiting it among the population,” Mr. Katz stated, following a UN warning that the territory is experiencing its most acute humanitarian crisis since the conflict began in October 2023.
Since early March, Israel has maintained its blockade on aid entering Gaza.
Read more: What we know about Israel’s latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
In recent developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed yesterday that the military campaign against Hamas will continue until hostages are released, commending the troops during a visit to northern Gaza.
“They are targeting the enemy, and Hamas will continue to face relentless strikes. We demand the release of our hostages and are committed to achieving all of our military objectives,” Mr. Netanyahu said according to an official statement.
Out of the 251 hostages captured during the Hamas attack in October 2023, 58 remain captive, including 34 whom the Israeli military has declared deceased.
On Monday, Hamas announced that it had received a revised truce proposal from Israel, which includes the release of ten living hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron communicated with Mr. Netanyahu by phone yesterday, emphasizing that only a ceasefire in Gaza would lead to the release of the remaining hostages.
He stressed that the suffering of Gazan civilians “must end” and urged for “the opening of all humanitarian aid crossings” into the Palestinian territory.
