The International Commission (Hashd) Presents a Briefing on the Ongoing Genocide and Israeli Aggression on Gaza on its 400th Day

Date: November 10, 2024

Press Release

The International Commission (Hashd) Presents a Briefing on the Ongoing Genocide and Israeli Aggression on Gaza on its 400th Day

The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (Hashd) urgently called for immediate humanitarian intervention to halt the ongoing genocide in Gaza, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, and launch an investigation into these crimes and the war against civilians and civilian objects, to ensure accountability for the Israeli occupation leaders. The Commission also urged the adoption of practical measures to enforce international humanitarian law, protect human rights, end the occupation, and uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

This was stated in a briefing addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, members of the Security Council, members of the General Assembly, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, the UN Fact-Finding Committee, the International Court of Justice, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the European Union, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the European Parliament, the African Union, the Latin American Union, the Russian Federation, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The Commission confirmed that Israeli occupation forces continue their war on civilians for the 400th consecutive day, committing some of the most heinous crimes, including genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, violating all rules of international humanitarian law and international agreements for the protection of human rights.

The Commission reviewed the genocide, war crimes, and other violations suffered by Gaza during the ongoing illegal war, which began on October 7, 2023. The ongoing assault has resulted in 53,798 deaths and missing persons, 102,765 injuries, and caused forced displacement of approximately 2.2 million people due to indiscriminate shelling, massacres, and the destruction of homes using internationally prohibited weapons. It has also led to the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, especially in the northern region, in full view of the world, amid global failure and US support, along with European complicity from colonial background nations that gave Israel the green light to continue its genocidal crimes.

Here are the major violations committed in Gaza on its 400th day of continuous aggression:

First: Targeting Civilians (Intentional Killing)
Israeli forces deliberately targeted and killed as many civilians as possible, bombing homes and shelters with residents inside, as well as densely populated civilian areas. They used indiscriminate shelling, resulting in the death of over 17,385 children, with 209 infants born and killed during the war. Additionally, 825 children under one year of age have been killed. Around 11,891 women were killed, and approximately 20,000 women suffered permanent disabilities due to injuries.

Close to 1.5 million children and women were displaced with their families, living under extreme food insecurity and humanitarian catastrophe. According to UNICEF, 1 in every 6 children under the age of two suffers from acute malnutrition. 38 children have died due to hunger, and many others have perished from famine and diseases.

Second: Targeting Medical Teams
The number of health workers martyred has reached 1,054, with 310 medical professionals arrested. Israeli forces have obstructed medical teams from treating the wounded and recovering bodies, and have deliberately targeted ambulances, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Third: Targeting Journalists
Israeli forces have killed 188 journalists, injured 398, and arrested 38, in violation of international laws that protect media personnel.

Fourth: Targeting Human Rights Workers
180 lawyers, including practicing and trainee lawyers, have been killed during the aggression.

Fifth: Targeting Police Officers
The Israeli forces targeted police stations and their personnel, aiming to create chaos in Palestinian society. More than 700 police officers have been martyred.

Sixth: Targeting Rescue Teams
88 Civil Defense workers have been killed, and Israeli forces have obstructed their rescue efforts, destroying many of their vehicles and hindering operations, particularly in the northern region.

Seventh: Massacres in Shelters
Since the beginning of the aggression, 3,798 massacres have been committed against civilian families, and 212 shelters have been destroyed, with many of them being bombed with the bodies of martyrs still inside.

Eighth: Difficulties for the Injured and Sick
The Ministry of Health has recorded more than 35,000 chronic patients in danger due to the blockade preventing medicine entry. Additionally, 12,000 injured individuals need medical treatment abroad, and over 12,500 cancer patients are being denied travel for treatment.

Ninth: The Missing
The number of missing persons has exceeded 15,000, including decomposing bodies trapped under rubble.

Tenth: Starvation Policy
The Israeli forces have used starvation as a weapon of war by imposing a complete blockade on Gaza, closing all crossings, and preventing the entry of humanitarian aid. They have destroyed local food sources, leading to severe food insecurity, with over half a million people in Gaza classified by the World Health Organization as in a catastrophic condition due to hunger.

Eleventh: Forced Displacement of Civilians
The forced displacement of civilians has been one of the most significant violations during this aggression. Approximately 90% of Gaza’s population has been subjected to forced evacuation orders. According to UN data, about 160,000 people have been forcibly displaced, while 11% of the population remained untouched by evacuation orders.

Twelfth: Destruction of Civilian Properties and Infrastructure
Israeli forces have destroyed 150,000 homes, leaving 80,000 uninhabitable and 200,000 partially damaged. The destruction also affected educational institutions, with 377 schools and 112 university buildings either destroyed or severely damaged. Over 12,000 schoolchildren and 650 university students have been martyred, and 630,000 students have been deprived of education due to the collapse of the education system.

Israeli forces have also destroyed 814 mosques, 4,992 tourist facilities, 921 creative arts institutions, and numerous government buildings. Additionally, the destruction of essential infrastructure has led to widespread shortages of water, electricity, and healthcare services. Over 36 billion dollars in initial damages have been reported, with massive destruction of agricultural land, including 67.6% of Gaza’s farmland, as well as significant damage to greenhouses and irrigation systems.

Sixth: The Use of Internationally Prohibited Weapons

During its aggression, Israel used internationally prohibited weapons, dropping them indiscriminately from fighter jets, burning and destroying homes, tents, shelters, hospitals, and everything in its path. Residential areas and entire blocks were bombed over the heads of their residents, using weapons that caused deformities, disabilities, charred body parts, and decapitations of children. The use of 13 types of prohibited weapons has been documented, including:

• Dense metal explosives
• MK-84 bombs, which were used to bomb the Baptist Hospital
• GBU bombs, which penetrate fortifications, shelters, and tunnels
• MK bombs
• GBU31 bombs
• GBU39 satellite-guided bombs
• 155mm artillery shells
• Tank shells, notably the APAM, which contain 3,000 deadly shrapnel
• White phosphorus bombs
• Suicide drones
• Barrel bombs
• Deadly DAIM weapons

The total amount of explosives dropped on the Gaza Strip by the occupation amounted to 100,000 tons.

Third: Targeting the Health Sector

From the early days of its attack on Gaza, the occupation deliberately turned the region’s hospitals into battlefields, targeting them specifically and destroying their infrastructure, under the pretext of military infrastructure being located there. This led to the collapse of the health sector. Within approximately one month of the war’s onset, the military strikes forced 25 out of 35 hospitals and 51 out of 72 primary healthcare centers to cease operations. Simultaneously, Israel blocked the entry of medicines and medical supplies into Gaza.

The Israeli military began its targeted attacks on the health sector just two days into the war. On October 9, 2023, the Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical complex with three specialized hospitals, was attacked. On the tenth day of the war, the Baptist Hospital was bombed, leading to the martyrdom of over 500 people, mostly women and children who had sought shelter there. Several medical staff were also martyred.

As the war continued, the number of targeted ambulances, hospitals, and primary healthcare centers grew, with many being forced to evacuate, deepening the health crisis in the area.

Adding to the severity of the problem, the ongoing siege and Israel’s interference with aid deliveries led to severe shortages in medicines, medical supplies, and fuel, threatening humanitarian intervention and deeply affecting the functioning of hospitals, health centers, and emergency services.

By day 400 of the aggression, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that only 17 hospitals remained operational, down from 36, all functioning partially. Only 57 of 132 primary healthcare centers were still operational.

The continued targeting of healthcare personnel has exacerbated the shortage of medical staff, with approximately 1,054 health workers martyred, including doctors, specialists, nurses, administrative staff, and paramedics.

Moreover, hundreds of medical staff were arrested by the Israeli military. Doctors volunteering with international missions reported intentional attacks, prompting Medecins Sans Frontieres staff to leave 12 different health facilities after 26 violent incidents, including bombings, attacks, and forced evacuations.

Fourth: Deterioration of Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza

Life in Gaza has become nearly impossible, with ongoing displacement, closure of crossings, and the denial of humanitarian aid, food, and medical supplies worsening the situation. Israel intentionally cut off fuel, electricity, and water supplies from the outset of its aggression, leading to the following humanitarian crisis:

• Closure of Crossings

All crossings have been closed, where approximately 600 trucks used to pass daily. By October 2024, the number of trucks had decreased to around 50 per month, covering less than 18% of the humanitarian needs over the past year and a month of continuous warfare. This has led to a spike in deaths due to acute malnutrition, as well as the spread of diseases and epidemics, which have claimed the lives of thousands of civilians.

The occupation also continues to block the Rafah Crossing, preventing patients from seeking treatment abroad and obstructing the entry of medicines. It has been documented that 12,000 wounded individuals require treatment abroad, and over 350,000 people with chronic conditions are at risk due to the blockade of essential medicines.

• Destruction of Water Wells and Closure of Water and Sewage Treatment Plants

A total of 717 water wells have been destroyed, along with the shutdown of water purification and sewage plants. This has exacerbated the problems of clean drinking water shortages and the spread of bacterial infections, such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and polio.

• Overcrowding Among the Displaced

The overcrowding of displaced people in shelters has led to an increase in disease rates, including diarrhea, respiratory infections, skin diseases, and viral hepatitis. The lack of privacy, particularly for women, due to the congestion in tents has caused additional social and security problems.

• Accumulation of Waste

The accumulation of waste in the streets, due to the inability of municipal workers to collect it, along with the inaccessibility of main waste disposal sites, has resulted in trash piling up in the streets and among the displaced tents, further contributing to the spread of disease.

• Famine and Malnutrition

The risk of famine remains, with 2.1 million people in urgent need of food and essential supplies. Israel has maintained a policy of starving Palestinians by blocking food and aid shipments, as well as bombing aid distribution centers and targeting foreign workers in food institutions like the World Kitchen and UNRWA staff. In the northern Gaza Strip, food supplies have run out, and supermarkets are empty due to Israel’s blockade for over 35 days.

• Dilapidated Tents

Over 100,000 dilapidated tents, unsuitable for living, have been recorded. With the arrival of winter, the suffering of displaced people continues, as they endure 400 days of killing, terror, hunger, and disease outbreaks. Last year, many infants died from drowning or freezing in their tents.

Fifth: Arrests

The number of detainees from Gaza has reached 6,000, including women, children, the elderly, and medical and media personnel. These detainees are labeled by Israel as “illegal fighters” to deprive them of the right to legal representation and fair trial guarantees. Among them are 310 health workers and 38 journalists whose names have been identified.

Approximately 46 detainees have died in Israeli occupation prisons due to physical and psychological torture, rape, electric shocks, waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and food deprivation. Many prisoners have also suffered significant weight loss due to deprivation of food and water.

Additionally, many detainees are held in single, dark rooms without adequate ventilation, deprived of clothing and bedding, kept handcuffed and blindfolded for extended periods, leading to amputations of hands and legs. At least 37 detainees from Gaza have died in prison, including three medical professionals: Dr. Adnan Al-Barsh and Dr. Iyad Al-Rantisi.

The commission concluded by affirming that such international crimes and violations against Palestinian civilians—including the use of internationally banned weapons, destruction of infrastructure, and harm to all sectors—constitute blatant violations of international human rights law, the Genocide Convention, international humanitarian law, and the provisions of the Hague and Geneva Conventions, as well as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These actions also violate all human rights standards and United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the Human Rights Council, and measures established by the International Court of Justice.

End