The Israeli army kills an average of 100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip every day, in addition to those dying of starvation and lack of medical care, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said on Wednesday.
“On average, 100 people are reported killed every day in Gaza due to the Israeli military operation or shootings at the ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ food points. Meanwhile, others die of hunger or lack of medical care,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X.
The growing death toll, he added, “is fueling a growing indifference.”
Calling for a ceasefire, Lazzarini stressed that “Ongoing crimes must continue to be documented” and “the suffering must be heard and attended to.”
Egypt’s Call over UNRWA
Separately, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated support for UNRWA’s efforts to help Palestinian refugees in various areas, especially in Gaza. This came during his meeting with Lazzarini on the sidelines of the Munich Leaders Meeting in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the Anadolu news agency reported.
According to a Foreign Ministry readout, Abdelatty stressed the importance of continuing to provide financial and political support for the UN agency.
He called on the international community “to pressure Israel to allow UNRWA’s relief convoys into Gaza, especially in light of the famine that the Gaza Strip is facing as a result of Israeli starvation policies.”
ICRC Suspension in Gaza City
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday that it has temporarily suspended its operations in Gaza City and relocated staff to its offices in southern Gaza due to intensified military operations, Anadolu reported.
“The intensification of military operations in Gaza City has forced the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to temporarily suspend operations at its Gaza City office and relocate staff to ICRC offices in southern Gaza to ensure staff safety and operational continuity,” the organization said in a statement.
The move comes as tens of thousands of people still in Gaza City face worsening humanitarian conditions.
The ICRC said it will continue to support civilians in Gaza City “whenever circumstances allow” from its offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational.
“This includes medical donations to the few remaining health facilities and efforts to facilitate the movements of first responders,” it stated.
Urgency of Humanitarian Aid
In Rafah, the Red Cross Field Hospital “will continue to be a lifeline for the many wounded patients pouring in.”
Over the past two weeks, the ICRC supplied life-saving medical materials to hospitals in Gaza City, supported bakeries in 14 displacement camps producing 45,000 loaves of bread daily, and provided water tanks, trucking services, and repairs to water and wastewater networks, according to the statement.
“Lives can still be saved today. A cessation of hostilities is imperative and urgent,” the ICRC stressed, calling for protection of civilians and “rapid and unimpeded” passage of humanitarian assistance.
Over 66,000 Killed
Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 66,000 Palestinians, with more than 168,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(Anadolu, PC)