Date: 18-1-2024
Time: 13:00 Local Time
Press Release
The International Commission “Hashd” Urges the World and All International Organizations to Hasten Aid to Gaza in Light of the Humanitarian Catastrophe Befalling Civilians
The International Commission “Hashd”: continues to witness a rise in the number of martyrs and casualties due to the Israeli aggression and the ongoing genocidal war against the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip. This persists amidst a shameful international failure to stop the aggression and protect civilians. The number of martyrs has reached 24,448, including 10,800 children, 7,600 women, 1,980 elderly individuals, 119 journalists, 326 medical staff and paramedics, 150 employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency, 45 civil defense personnel, and 47 lawyers. Additionally, over 61,504 citizens have sustained various injuries, with 75% of them being children and women. The number of reported missing individuals in Gaza exceeds 8,000, with 67% of them being children and women. The Israeli aggression hampers the retrieval of their bodies. Approximately 2,100,000 citizens have been forcibly displaced within the Gaza Strip, amid rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions due to the ongoing aggression, ground incursions, collective punishments, limited aid, persistent power and communication outages, and severe shortages of fuel, water, medicine, and food. All international reports indicate that Gaza is now one of the most famine-stricken areas globally, with 50% of its population experiencing catastrophic hunger, posing a threat of increased deaths, especially among women, children, the elderly, and the sick. The humanitarian situation worsens due to a severe water crisis, particularly in the northern provinces of Gaza, where assistance and access to safe water are non-existent.
The International Commission “Hashd”: Strongly condemns and denounces the continued and escalating attacks by settlers, the expansion of colonial settlement crimes, the Judaization of Jerusalem, the intrusion into Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the prohibition of entry for worshippers under the age of 50. It also condemns the expansion of incursions into Palestinian cities and camps in the West Bank, committing destruction of infrastructure, civil properties, and field executions in the West Bank, especially in the cities and camps of Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarm. Since the start of the aggression on Gaza until now, these actions have resulted in the martyrdom of nearly 400 individuals, the injury of over 3,600, the arrest of 6,000 citizens, and the escalation of torture and abuse against detainees in Israeli occupation prisons, leading to the martyrdom of 7 detainees, including Omar Draghme from Tubas, Arafat Hamdan from Ramallah, Majed Zaqqoul from Gaza, and an unidentified fourth martyr. The fate of 4,000 detainees from Gaza remains undisclosed.
The International Commission “Hashd”: With the destruction of the Israeli occupation forces of the University of Israa in the southern Gaza Strip, the number of destroyed and affected educational institutions due to the aggression rises to 346, including 65 schools affiliated with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and 17 universities. The Israeli aggression has deprived around 608,000 students in Gaza of their right to school education and approximately 90,000 university students. Statistics indicate the martyrdom of over 4,000 students, including 438 university students and 14 university staff. Furthermore, more than 5,000 students have been injured. According to the International Monetary Fund, the losses in the education sector due to destruction and damage exceed $720 million, affecting 70% of schools and universities.
The International Commission “Hashd”: Reiterates its condemnation and strong denunciation of the heinous genocide crimes committed by Israeli forces, and the continued silence and incompetence of the international community, which serves as a cover for the occupation forces to continue their genocide and war crimes. It calls on the international community to urgently act to stop the aggression and protect civilians, as an integral part of its legal duty under international law. It urges the peoples of the world and those in solidarity with the Palestinian people, as well as justice advocates and freedom lovers worldwide, to intensify their popular movements in solidarity with the plight of civilians in Gaza. They should also exert pressure on their governments to urgently act to stop the aggression and genocide war in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories. It appeals to the world’s nations and all international organizations to expedite aid to Gaza and ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance to all areas of the Strip. This is crucial in the face of the catastrophe that has befallen civilians, with 80% of the buildings destroyed and 90% of the population displaced, now living in the midst of power outages, collapsing health and humanitarian services, fearing an escalation of the humanitarian crisis. This could lead to tens of thousands losing their lives due to food and medicine shortages and homelessness.
End
The International Commission to Support Palestinians Rights (Hashd)
