“As we speak the world appears on in horror because the scenario within the Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to deteriorate to ranges not seen in latest historical past,” mentioned Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Particular Coordinator for the Center East Peace Course of, talking from Jerusalem.
He started by specializing in Gaza, which is “sinking deeper into catastrophe, marked by quickly mounting civilian casualties, mass displacement, and, now, famine”, without end to the battle.
Worst fears changing into actuality
He mentioned that “unthinkably, Gaza’s inhabitants is now dealing with one more lethal escalation” following Israel’s announcement of its choice to take over Gaza Metropolis, which is ongoing.
“For a inhabitants already struggling to outlive, Palestinians in Gaza are seeing their worst fears change into actuality in entrance of their eyes,” he mentioned.
“Expanded army operations in Gaza Metropolis could have catastrophic penalties, together with displacing a whole lot of 1000’s.”
Air strikes intensify
Mr. Alakbarov briefed the Council alongside Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-Common for Humanitarian Affairs, and two friends: Inger Ashing, Chief Government Officer at Save the Kids Worldwide, and Ilana Gritzewsky, an Israeli hostage who survived Hamas captivity in Gaza.
He reported that Israeli army strikes have intensified all through the Strip, hitting tents housing displaced individuals, colleges, hospitals, and residential buildings.
Since 23 July, not less than 2,553 Palestinians have been killed, in line with the well being authorities. Of this quantity, some 271 had been reportedly killed making an attempt to gather help, together with within the neighborhood of militarized distribution websites.
Moreover, over 240 journalists have been killed for the reason that battle started on 7 October 2023 following lethal Hamas-led assaults on Israel.
Though the UN and companions are working tirelessly to help the individuals in Gaza, “the safety dangers are extraordinarily excessive, and present mitigation measures are woefully inadequate,” he mentioned.
“On my latest go to to Gaza, I used to be shocked on the scale of the destruction and struggling. I met humanitarian staff risking their lives to ship help, whereas themselves residing in insupportable situations,” he added.
Assembly with survivors and households of hostages
The UN official additionally visited affected communities in Israel and met survivors of the 7 October terror assaults and relations of a few of the hostages.
“I noticed the shattered properties of Nir Oz, the place one in 4 residents was both murdered or kidnapped on 7 October. I met survivors who carry insufferable loss and trauma,” he mentioned.
Round 50 individuals, together with one lady, are nonetheless being held by Hamas and different Palestinian armed teams in Gaza, and 28 are believed to be deceased.
Movies launched by Hamas and Palestinian Jihad depicting emaciated Israeli hostages had been deeply disturbing, he mentioned, stressing that ill-treatment and abuse of hostages represent a blatant violation of worldwide legislation.
Kids within the Jenin refugee camp within the West Financial institution trying on the destroyed shelters following latest army operations. (file)
West Financial institution violence
In the meantime, the scenario within the occupied West Financial institution, together with East Jerusalem, “continues to spiral dangerously downward” and “the territory envisioned for a future Palestinian State is shrinking, whereas a one-State actuality of illegal occupation and perpetual violence is quickly advancing.”
Israeli safety forces have continued operations in northern cities and refugee camps, displacing greater than 32,000 individuals. Moreover, safety forces killed 9 Palestinians, 4 of them youngsters, in the course of the three-month reporting interval.
Assaults by Israeli settlers even have continued, leading to three Palestinians killed, harm to Palestinian property and displacement. On the similar time, assaults by Palestinians towards Israelis have additionally continued, with no fatalities reported within the final month.
Settlement growth
Because the begin of the battle in Gaza, settler assaults have escalated in frequency and change into extra violent and lethal. They’ve more and more led to pressured displacement, with settlers then shifting in and establishing outposts. On the similar time, Israel is “fast-tracking settlement growth, together with in probably the most extremely strategic areas.”
Mr. Alakbarov recalled that the Israeli Excessive Planning Committee just lately authorized a plan for the development of greater than 3,400 housing models within the E1 space.
“If applied, the transfer would successfully sever the connection between the northern and southern West Financial institution. As such, it will additional undermine the potential for a viable and contiguous Palestinian state,” he warned.
Israeli authorities additionally continued to demolish Palestinian-owned buildings, he added, and 175 Palestinians, together with 70 youngsters, have been displaced.
Regional tensions
Mr. Alakbarov famous that the developments within the Occupied Palestinian Territory are going down amid a unstable regional context, with extra exchanges of fireplace between Houthi rebels in Yemen and Israel forces occurring this week, together with continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon and an incursion in Syria.
Stressing the necessity for a ceasefire in Gaza and the discharge of all hostages, he mentioned “what is required now could be daring motion to resolve the battle, finish the occupation and re-establish a political horizon.”
On this regard, he welcomed the Excessive-Degree Convention on the Implementation of the Two-State Answer co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, held at UN Headquarters in June.
Uphold the two-State resolution
“The message from the worldwide group is obvious: the two-State resolution stays the one viable path towards a simply and lasting decision of the Israeli-Palestinian battle,” he mentioned.
He urged the worldwide group to work collectively to advance sensible steps, together with by way of engagements in the course of the high-level week of the UN Common Meeting in September.
“With Gaza immersed in a scenario so horrendous that it defies primary humanity and with the West Financial institution dealing with real threats to its long-term existence, we are able to now not wait,” he mentioned.
Gaza famine ‘a created disaster’
Ms. Msuya’s briefing centered across the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis confirming that famine is going on in Gaza governorate – section 5 situations – and is anticipated to unfold within the coming weeks.
She drew consideration to a few of the numbers, saying over half one million individuals at the moment face hunger, destitution and dying, which may exceed 640,000 by the tip of September.
Roughly a million Gazans are in emergency section 4 and over 390,000 face section 3 disaster situations, she continued.
A minimum of 132,000 youngsters underneath 5 are anticipated to undergo from acute malnutrition between now and the center of subsequent yr, whereas the variety of those that threat dying has tripled to over 43,000.
Amongst pregnant and breastfeeding ladies, the quantity is predicted to rise from 17,000 to 55,000.
“Allow us to be clear: This famine is just not a product of drought or some type of pure catastrophe,” she mentioned. “It’s a created disaster – the results of a battle that has brought about huge civilian dying, damage, destruction and compelled displacement.”
Finish this ‘human-made disaster’
Ms. Msuya urged the Council to make sure a direct and sustained cessation of hostilities to save lots of lives and cease famine from spreading.
She additionally known as for the speedy and unconditional launch of all hostages and for civilians and significant infrastructure to be protected.
Moreover, secure, speedy and unimpeded humanitarian entry by way of all entry factors should happen, and help – together with meals, drugs, water, gas and shelter – must be delivered to all individuals in want.
Her remaining request was for the restoration of business flows of important items at scale, market methods, important providers and native meals manufacturing.
“Ending this human-made disaster calls for that we act as if it had been our mom, our father, our baby, our household attempting to outlive in Gaza right now,” she mentioned.
Ilana Gritzewsky, survivor of Hamas captivity and associate of Matan Zangauker, addresses the United Nations Safety Council assembly on the scenario within the Center East, together with the Palestinian query.
A former hostage’s attraction
Ms. Gritzewsky recalled the second her life was brutally modified on 7 October 2023.
She was grabbed by the hair, punched within the abdomen, thrown towards a wall, and “touched in every single place,” all whereas being filmed by the terrorists. Taken to Gaza, she fainted on the time of her sexual assault.
“Nothing would be the similar once more,” she mentioned, referring particularly to her damaged jaw and pelvis.
Ms. Gritzewsky mentioned she obtained no remedy and didn’t see a health care provider in the course of the 55 days of captivity, though she had raised issues about her anaemia and colitis.
She is now combating for the discharge of the hostages, significantly her associate, Matan, and made a passionate attraction to the Security Council to behave for the discharge of all these nonetheless being held.
