As confirmed by Philippe Lazzarini – Commissioner-General of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), on Sunday, 21 July 2024 a UN humanitarian convoy heading to the center of Gaza City was targeted by Israeli snipers. Although there were no injuries or deaths, this episode once again highlights the prevailing insecurity in the Gaza Strip, where civilians and humanitarian workers are constantly in the crosshairs of the Israeli military.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) clearly states in Articles 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that humanitarian aid and personnel involved in supporting civil society with assistance and essential goods must have full freedom of movement without any restriction of access and without being subjected to any military attack. Similarly, Article 51 upholds the inviolable right of the civilian population not to be subjected to any deliberate attack, nor even the threat of force intended to terrorize civilians.
Despite all the four Geneva Conventions being universally ratified, in Palestine Israeli actions do not comply with IHL. The fact that not only civilians, but also the humanitarian aid they should fully enjoy are impacted, leads to further deterioration of their conditions.
Facing difficulties in receiving water, food, and medicine from NGOs or UN agencies operating in the Gaza Strip, the alternatives for survival are few. The lack of electricity and gas prevents cooking food, heating it, and especially storing it in refrigerators, sometimes forcing people to eat expired, uncooked, or spoiled food due to the inability to preserve it. Similarly, much of the food is contaminated and drinking water is now scarce. Moreover, poor sanitary conditions, broken water pipes, the absence of sanitary facilities, and the need to drink contaminated water cause gastrointestinal problems, skin infections, and the rapid spread of viruses and diseases.
UNICEF and WHO are sounding the alarm. Indeed, the inhumane living conditions, the continuous displacement of civilians to escape the devastation of the Israeli army, and the order to leave even the few remaining "safe" areas (such as the recent imposition to vacate a so-called safe area in Khan Younis, where 400,000 Palestinians had taken refuge) particularly threaten minors. Since October 2023, more than 16,000 children have been killed, in addition to those who are severely injured, and suffering from hunger and disease. If the unsustainable conditions they are subjected to persist for long, the numbers are bound to spike dramatically.
Finally, attention should also be given to Palestinian children in the West Bank. Although on a smaller scale compared to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza, the level of violence against minors is also rising in the West Bank, with children being injured, and killed in broad daylight on their way to school.
To read more, please visit:
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152351
- https://www.unrwa.org
- https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule55
- https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule56
- https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/api-1977/article-51?activeTab=undefined
- https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240605-israel-has-killed-15000-children-in-gaza-since-october/
- https://www.un.org/unispal/document/gaza-strip-famine-ipc-snapshot-25jun24/#:~:text=Overview,food%20insecurity%20through%20September%202024.
