The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating alarmingly and dangerously, and that the health sector there is on the verge of collapse.
ICRC Middle East Office spokeswoman Imane Trabelsi told Anadolu that the number of people in need of medical care is increasing due to problems in the health sector in blockaded Gaza, and that hospitals, health facilities and aid teams are working under great pressure.
“There is a shortage of electricity in the health sector, and supplies of medicines and aid are running out. This situation forces health institutions to use private generators to produce electricity, but even that is very difficult and in most cases impossible due to the reduction in fuel supplies,” said Trabelsi.
Regarding the problem of water supply in Gaza, Trabelsi said that the big problem is the lack of drinking water and water for domestic use.
Trabelsi said that due to the attacks and power outages, work was stopped at three of the five water purification plants in Gaza, and that there was a decrease in the production of water for domestic needs by about 40 percent.
She pointed out that humanitarian aid should be delivered to the region as soon as possible, Trabelsi said this is “a matter of life and death”.
Trabelsi emphasized that the priority of the International Committee of the Red Cross is that all parties involved in the conflict fulfill their legal obligations regarding the safety and interests of civilians, protect the infrastructure and provide the basic needs of the population during the war.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, announced today that 1,000 homes have been razed to the ground in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since revenge for Hamas’ attack on Israel began on Saturday, and that many residents of the Palestinian territory are facing shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies. .
Another 560 housing units were, as stated, severely damaged and uninhabitable. More than 12,600 homes were damaged in Israeli airstrikes.
The agency also announced that 13 hospitals in the small, densely populated enclave are only partially operational due to severe shortages of fuel and medical supplies. The restriction of water supply due to the Israeli siege of Gaza has caused more than 650,000 of the total population of 2.3 million to face shortages.
Sewage systems have been destroyed, causing sewage to spill into the streets and pose a health hazard, OCHA added.
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said that electricity, water and fuel will not be provided to Gaza until Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip return to their homes.
“Humanitarian aid to Gaza? There will be no electricity, no water taps and no fuel trucks until the Israeli prisoners return to their homes,” said Katz.
Katz was responding to international backlash over Israel’s use of collective punishment in Gaza. “Humanitarian versus humanitarian. Nobody should be giving us moral lessons,” Katz said.
Israel’s military said it was carrying out a “large-scale strike” on Thursday against Hamas targets in Gaza, but gave no details as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the region to meet with leaders from both sides of the conflict, Reuters reported.
Israeli jets have been pounding targets in Gaza for days in retaliation for an attack by Hamas militants who over the weekend breached the border fence surrounding the enclave and rampaged through towns and villages, killing 1,200 people, wounding more than 2,700 and taking scores of hostages, the Israeli military said.
At around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, the Israeli military said it was carrying out a “large-scale attack” on targets belonging to Hamas in Gaza. However, she did not give details.
Hamas media reports that 15 Palestinians were killed and several wounded in Israeli airstrikes.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli planes were heavily bombarding Gaza City, and Gaza authorities also reported an airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.
The number of dead in Gaza rose to 1,200, and around 5,600 were wounded, Palestinian media reported earlier, citing the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Biden sent his top diplomat to the Middle East to show Washington’s continued support for Israel, try to secure the release of prisoners, including Americans, and prevent a wider war.
Antony Blinken will arrive on Thursday and will also visit Jordan, but will not visit the occupied West Bank, where he usually meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.