DThree months after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Islamist Hamas, aid organizations describe sheer horror there. “Gaza has become a place of death and despair,” the head of the UN emergency agency OCHA, Martin Griffiths, said on Friday. The heavily bombed area had become “uninhabitable”. There is a threat of famine. The Israeli army, however, declared that there was “sufficient” food there. South Africa is now dragging Israel to the International Court of Justice for genocide. According to a report, Israel wants to avert a possible court order to temporarily stop the fighting.
UN warns of health catastrophe
“The last 12 weeks have been traumatic, especially for children,” said UN emergency relief coordinator Griffiths. “No food. No water. No school. Nothing but the terrible sounds of war, day after day.” According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 22,000 people have been killed since the war began. The number cannot be verified, but is considered credible.
Even areas where civilians were staying at Israel's request were bombed, Griffiths said. Medical facilities are also being “relentlessly attacked.” However, he did not say who carried out the attacks. The few hospitals that are still partially functional are being overrun by desperate people seeking protection. “A health catastrophe is looming.” On the other hand, the representative of the Israeli Cogat authority responsible for humanitarian aid, Elad Goren, said: “We have stabilized the humanitarian situation on site.”
Israel's army calls on the UN to increase its own capacities
There is also a “stabilization of the medical system” in Gaza. The military official also rejected allegations that Israel was hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. “Israel has not and will not deny human assistance to the non-terrorist people of Gaza,” Goren said. Israel's army is doing everything it can to spare civilians in the war. In order for more aid to reach Gaza, the UN and other aid organizations must “urgently” increase their capacity to receive and distribute aid.
The Gaza war was triggered by the horrific terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas and other extremist Palestinian groups on October 7th. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive.
South Africa wants to stop the fighting
Griffiths again called for an immediate end to the war. South Africa wants to ensure that the International Court of Justice in The Hague first orders a cessation of fighting in an expedited manner. To prevent this, Israel's Foreign Ministry has instructed its embassies abroad to persuade local diplomats and politicians to issue a statement against South Africa's lawsuit, according to the news portal Axios. The hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for next week. Judgments by the UN court are usually binding. However, judges have no power to force a state to implement it.
Israel Army: Must learn from our own mistakes
Israel firmly rejects South Africa's allegations. Hamas is solely responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza. After strong criticism from some right-wing extremist Israeli ministers, Israel's army has now defended a planned investigation into its own mistakes that made the Hamas massacre on October 7 possible. The military must learn from mistakes, said spokesman Daniel Hagari on Friday evening. Several right-wing extremist ministers are calling for the repopulation of the Gaza Strip after the war. Defense Minister Joav Galant rejects this.
Another exchange of fire on Israel's northern border
Meanwhile, the Israeli army and Hezbollah in Lebanon say they have attacked each other again. The military said on Friday that fighter jets had bombed Iranian-allied militia facilities in the towns of Majdalsun and Aita al-Shaab. These were Hezbollah military posts and places from which terrorists had prepared their attacks. Lebanese security sources confirmed the attacks. Israel's military said it also registered several rockets that were fired towards Israel.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there have been almost daily confrontations in the border region between Israel's army and Hezbollah, which is allied with Hamas. Israel is demanding that Hezbollah withdraw from the border for the safety of its citizens in the north of the country and has threatened to use military force if diplomatic efforts are unsuccessful.
What will be important on Saturday
EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell continues his trip to Lebanon. US Secretary of State Blinken visits Turkey and Greece before heading to the Middle East.
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