Press Release
Following the announcement of the suspension of the only power plant in the Gaza Strip
ICSPR : The Israeli aggression and siege exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) follows with great disapproval and concern the continuation of the aggression launched by the Israeli military occupation forces since the afternoon hours of yesterday, Friday, August 05, 2022; Until this statement is issued; According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health, he left (11) citizens dead; Among them, a girl and a woman; Extensive damage was caused to a number of civil facilities, citizens’ homes, and agricultural lands.
The Israeli aggression was preceded by nearly four days, an Israeli closure of all crossings, including the Karem Abu Salem crossing, which is the only crossing through which goods and commodities flow to the residents of the Gaza Strip, As a result, the process of pumping industrial diesel to the power plant, whose imminent cessation of work was announced, stopped completely at 12:00 noon today, Saturday, August 06, 2022; This will lead to the adoption of the electricity distribution schedule that is available by 04 hours, compared to 12 hours separated from the homes of citizens.
The fact that the only power plant in the Gaza Strip has stopped working means an exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis, depriving citizens of electricity-related services, and in particular weakening their ability to access potable water; It also affects the work of all vital sectors, including hospitals and sanitation.
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) renews holding the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for the consequences of its ongoing aggression against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and warns against the consequences of the aggravation and deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip; Emphasizing that the Israeli siege measures are a form of collective punishment criminalized under international law; It considers that preventing the entry of fuel intended for the operation of the power plant is a clear violation of the rules of international humanitarian law that prohibits the occupying power from punishing civilians. It reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupier by all available means, as a right recognized in international law. Therefore:
1-ICSPR calls on the international community to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to stop its continuous aggression; Ending the blockade of the Gaza Strip by allowing goods and merchandise to flow in a stable manner and allowing the arrival of fuel designated for the power plant to ensure its restart, especially under the current exceptional circumstances.
2-ICSPR calls on the High Contracting Parties to the four Geneva Conventions, for the Secretary’s compliance with their moral and legal duties, to take urgent action to provide international protection for Palestinian civilians.
3-ICSPR urges the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to include the crimes committed in the Gaza Strip in the course and file of the Israeli crimes being investigated, including moving forward and at a faster pace to start the preliminary investigations.
