Gaza: Europe and the Arabs

Israel continues its bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip despite the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on October 10th.

Civil defense teams have recovered the bodies of 30 of the 60 members of the Salem family in western Gaza City. These teams are continuing their search for the remaining victims, who were lost under the rubble after the Abu Ramadan family home in the Rimal neighborhood was targeted.

The severe weather conditions have exacerbated the humanitarian situation for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, particularly those living in dilapidated and unsafe housing.

The United Nations stated that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip "remains fragile," according to Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

The UN also called for a halt to "Israel's ongoing settlement expansion" in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, warning that it "fuels tensions, impedes Palestinian access to their land, and threatens the viability of a contiguous and sovereign Palestinian state." According to the European news network Euronews in Brussels, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a meeting next Thursday to discuss the second phase of the Gaza operation, as reported by Israel's Channel 12.

Meanwhile, amidst severe overcrowding in camps in western Gaza, displaced people are forced to live in the rubble of partially destroyed homes. With worsening weather conditions and heavy rainfall, the rate of collapses of damaged buildings has increased, exacerbating the housing crisis in the absence of alternatives and resources.

A correspondent for the UN's daily news bulletin in Gaza observed the situation on the ground and listened to testimonies from those affected by these collapses. The bulletin, under the headline "One Room for Three Families," reported: "Mahmoud al-Saqqa stands in front of what remains of his collapsed house west of Gaza City, where he and his relatives have been forced to live in a single room after the building was damaged by shelling. He said, 'This is the only room we have left in this house after it was bombed. Three families, totaling 12 people, are currently living in this room.'" “We were forced to live here because there was nowhere else to go,” he said. Al-Saqqa explained that fear accompanies the family with every new wave of rain: “When we hear about a house collapsing on its residents due to the rain, we go to sleep worried because our house is also at risk of collapsing. We fear for our children and our elderly in this situation.” A sudden collapse… and a miraculous escape. In a similar incident, Alaa Al-Hosari was inspecting the rubble of his house, which had collapsed due to the severe weather. He said that the house collapsed suddenly while he and his wife were out buying food. He added, “My wife and I went to the market to get food for our children. My youngest daughter was at kindergarten, and my other two sons were coming down the stairs of the building at that moment when the house suddenly collapsed. If my children had been killed, who would compensate me for them? My children are my soul in this life.” Now I have nothing left. We have no clothes or blankets, and we've even lost the water jugs we used to bring from afar.” Appeal to Arab States

Abu Rami al-Husari, a relative of the family, said that the displacement camps are completely overcrowded and offer no protection from the rain. He added, “All the displacement camps are full. I live in a camp, but we can't withstand the rain; the water leaks in. Where else can we go? We were forced to live in our destroyed house. Some people might even have to live under the stairs. We want to make our voices heard by all Arab states so they can look at the situation in the Gaza Strip, not just my own.” Abu Rami called on Arab states to pay attention to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.