Gaza - Geneva: Europe and the Arabs

International organizations continue their warnings of the humanitarian consequences of stopping the entry of aid to the Palestinians. The UN organizations said that closing the Gaza crossings contradicts any international humanitarian standard. In light of this suffering, a report by the European News Network in Brussels "Euronews" monitored the situation during Ramadan
in Gaza and stated that amid the massive destruction caused by the war on the infrastructure in Gaza, children lined up in the city of Khan Yunis carrying their empty containers, waiting to receive a free breakfast meal during the month of Ramadan.

The scene reflects the daily suffering of the residents of the Strip, as only a very few hospitals remain operating, while thousands of civilians have sought shelter in temporary camps and schools.

In light of these harsh conditions, "Aisha's" kitchen is trying to provide food aid to nearly 20,000 people, most of whom are displaced in areas such as Batn al-Sameen, Abu Rashwan, and the people of Rafah who have not been able to return to them. One of the workers in the kitchen explained that the crisis has worsened due to the closure of the crossings, the gas outage, and the crazy rise in prices, especially during the month of Ramadan.

He added: "The situation is getting worse day by day, the kitchen used to distribute 1,200 meals containing meat daily, but with the closure of the crossings, we had to rely on available alternatives such as pasta and beans. The demand for food and hunger are constantly increasing, and if the closure of the crossings continues for two more days, we may face a real famine."

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 48,406 people have been killed since the beginning of the war, most of them civilians, while the government in Gaza estimated the death toll at more than 61,000 people, noting that thousands of missing people under the rubble are presumed dead. As for the number of wounded, it exceeded 111,852 people, in light of the collapse of medical services and the severe shortage of basic supplies.

In another painful scene, one of the displaced expressed his suffering, saying: "We can no longer find food, our conditions are very difficult, I have been displaced three or four times so far. No one has enough to eat the same food every day, and the crossings are completely closed, making the situation a real nightmare.

Amid this crisis, the suffering of children sitting on empty pots, waiting for their hot meal, is exacerbated, while others stand in long queues carrying their containers, hoping to get some food to satisfy their hunger during the month of Ramadan.

This comes as the UN Secretary-General expressed deep concern about Israel’s decision to restrict electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip. The UN spokesman said that the decision will significantly reduce the availability of drinking water in the Strip.

Muhannad Hadi, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, indicated that the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza has been suspended for nine consecutive days.

He added: “Humanitarian aid in Gaza is a lifeline for more than two million Palestinians who have been through unimaginable conditions for many months. “Securing a continuous supply of aid is essential for their survival,” Hadi said in a press statement.

International humanitarian law is clear: the basic needs of civilians must be met, including through the unimpeded entry and distribution of humanitarian aid.

He stressed the need to resume the entry of life-saving aid immediately. “Any further delay will undermine any progress we have been able to achieve during the ceasefire,” he said.

The UN official stressed the need for the ceasefire to hold, for the parties to fulfill their obligations under international law, for all hostages to be released, and for humanitarian aid to be allowed in.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that suddenly dismantling the agency “will only deepen the suffering of Palestinian refugees, and will not eliminate their refugee status,” stressing that their rights will continue to exist independently of the agency’s existence.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Monday after briefing member states on the agency’s status, Lazzarini said the legislation passed by the Knesset and entered into force in late January did not relate solely to UNRWA, but to “any individual or organization that calls for “With a number of international NGOs already silenced, there is now a greater concerted effort in Israel to undermine or restrict the operations of international organizations and NGOs through legislative measures,” he said. The Israeli Knesset has passed two laws, one of which would halt UNRWA’s work in the occupied Palestinian territory, and the other prohibits Israeli officials from engaging with the agency.