“Today, the world looks with horror while the situation of the occupied Palestinian territory continues to deteriorate to levels not seen in recent history“Said Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, speaking of Jerusalem.
He started by focusing on Gaza, who “sinks deeper into disasters, marked by quickly civilian victims who quickly go up, mass displacement and, now, famine”, endless for the conflict.
The worst fears to become reality
He said that “Impoliably, the population of Gaza is now confronted with another fatal escalation“Following the announcement by Israel of his decision to resume the city of Gaza, which is underway.
“For a population that already has trouble surviving, the Palestinians in Gaza see their worst fears become reality before their eyes,” he said.
“The widening military operations in Gaza City will have catastrophic consequences, especially by moving hundreds of thousands.”
Air strikes are intensifying
Mr. Alakbarov informed the Council alongside Joyce Msuya, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs, and two guests: Inger ASHING, CEO of Save the Children International, and Ilana Gritzewsky, an Israeli hostage that survived the captivity of Hamas in Gaza.
He reported that Israeli military strikes intensified throughout the strip, hitting tents housed inappropriate people, schools, hospitals and residential buildings.
Since July 23, at least 2,553 Palestinians have been killedaccording to health authorities. In this number, some 271 would have been killed by trying to collect aid, in particular near militarized distribution sites.
In addition, more than 240 journalists have been killed since the start of the war on October 7, 2023 following attacks by Hamas against Israel.
Although the UN and partners work tirelessly to help residents of Gaza, “security risks are extremely high and current mitigation measures are terribly insufficient,” he said.
“During my recent visit to Gaza, I was amazed at the level of destruction and suffering. I have met humanitarian workers risking their lives to provide help, while themselves living in intolerable conditions, “he added.
Meet survivors and hostage families
The UN official also visited communities affected in Israel and met survivors of the terrorist attacks on October 7 and family members of certain hostages.
“I saw the broken houses of Nir Oz, where one in four residents was murdered or removed on October 7. I met survivors who allowed unbearable loss and trauma, “he said.
About 50 people, including a woman, are still held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, and 28 are said to have died.
The videos published by Hamas and the Palestinian jihad representing emaciated Israeli hostages were deeply disturbing, he said, stressing that the ill-treatment and abuse of the hostages constitute a blatant violation of international law.
The children of the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank looking at the shelters destroyed after recent military operations. (deposit)
Violence of the West Bank
Meanwhile, the situation in occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “” “continuous spiral dangerously downwards“And” the territory envisaged for a future Palestinian state is shrinking, while a reality to a state of illegal occupation and perpetual violence is progressing rapidly. »»
Israeli security forces have continued operations in northern cities and refugee camps, moving more than 32,000 people. In addition, the security forces killed nine Palestinians, including four children, during the three -month reference period.
The attacks by Israeli settlers also continued, causing three Palestinians killed, damages to Palestinian goods and travel. At the same time, the attacks of the Palestinians against the Israelis also continued, without death reported last month.
Expansion of regulations
Since the start of the war in Gaza, Settlers’ attacks have increased in frequency And become more violent and deadly. They have more and more led to forced trips, the settlers that move and established outposts. At the same time, Israel is “Extension of accelerated colony, including in the most strategic fields. “”
Alakbarov recalled that the Israeli Committee for High Planning recently approved a plan for the construction of more than 3,400 dwellings in the E1 zone.
“If this was implemented, this decision would effectively break the link between the North and South West Bank.
The Israeli authorities have also continued to demolish structures belonging to Palestinians, he added, and 175 Palestinians, including 70 children, were moved.
Regional tensions
Mr. Alakbarov noted that the developments of the occupied Palestinian territory take place in the midst of a volatile regional context, with more exchanges of fire between the Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Israeli forces occurring this week, as well as the continuous Israeli strikes in Lebanon and a summary foray.
Stressing the need for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, he said that “what is necessary now is a daring action to resolve the conflict, put an end to the occupation and restore a political horizon”.
In this regard, he praised the high -level conference on the implementation of the solution to two states co -chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, held at the UN headquarters in June.
Defend the two -state solution
“The message from the international community is clear: the two-state solution remains the only viable path to a fair and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” he said.
He urged the international community to work collectively to advance practical stages, in particular by commitments during the high -level week of the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“With Gaza immersed in such a horrible situation that it challenges fundamental humanity and with the West Bank confronted with real threats to its long-term existence, we can no longer wait,” he said.
Gaza Famine ‘A disaster created’
Msuya’s briefing was centered on the recent Integrated food security classification analysis (IPC) Confirm that the famine occurs in the Grassi -Gaza governorate – phase 5 conditions – and should spread in the coming weeks.
She drew attention to some of the figures, saying that more than half a million people are currently faced with famine, destitution and death, which could exceed 640,000 at the end of September.
About a million gas is in emergency phase 4 and more than 390,000 phase 3 crisis in front, she continued.
At least 132,000 children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition by next year, while the number of those who risk dying has tripled at more than 43,000.
Among pregnant and breastfeeding women, the number should go from 17,000 to 55,000.
“Let’s be clear: this famine is not a drought product or a form of natural disaster,” she said. “” This is a disaster created – the result of a conflict that caused massive civil death, injuries, destruction and forced displacement. “”
Put an end to this “human manufacturing crisis”
Msuya urged the Council to ensure immediate and sustained cessation of hostilities to save lives and prevent famine from spreading.
She also called the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and civilians and critical infrastructure to protect.
In addition, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access through all the entry points should occur, and help – including food, medicines, water, fuel and refuge – must be delivered to everyone in need.
Its latest request was the restoration of commercial flows of large -scale essential products, market systems, essential services and local food production.
“” To put an end to this crisis of human manufacture requires that we act as if it was our mother, our father, our child, our family trying to survive Gaza today“She said.
The call of an old hostage
Ms. Gritzewsky recalled the moment when her life was suddenly changed on October 7, 2023.
She was seized by the hair, struck in the stomach, thrown against a wall and “touched everywhere”, while being filmed by the terrorists. Taken in Gaza, she passed out at the time of her sexual assault.
“Nothing will be the same again,” she said, referring in particular to her jaw and broken basin.
Ms. Gritzewsky said that she had received no medication and that she had not seen a doctor during the 55 days of captivity, even if she had raised concerns about her anemia and her colitis.
She is now fighting for the release of hostages, in particular her partner, Matan, and made a passionate call to the Security advice To act for the release of all those who are always held.
