Islamic Relief partners in northern Gaza are describing apocalyptic scenes as atrocities against civilians increase even further over the last few days. International law is being obliterated while the international community stands by and watches Israel force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of the north.
The ongoing Israeli siege and relentless bombing of Jabalia refugee camp has killed hundreds of people, cut off food and water supplies, and barred wounded civilians from reaching hospital. The Israeli military has ordered all civilians to leave, then shot people as they try to do so. Mothers, fathers and children have been shot as they try to find food and water, or as they try to recover the bodies of killed relatives that lie rotting in the streets. In Beit Lahiya, shelters for families who have managed to escape Jabalia have become so overcrowded that some people are now sleeping in the toilets, and school shelters are being shelled and set ablaze almost daily. This morning the Israeli military ordered thousands more people sheltering in Beit Lahiya to move further south, with reports of women and men being separated and young children forced to move alone.
An Islamic Relief aid worker in northern Gaza, whose name is withheld to protect his identity, says: “Everywhere in the north is suffering right now but the situation in Jabalia is especially indescribable. People in Jabalia are being starved, bombed and shot on sight. Drinking water is no longer available and food is running out. Simply going outside to search for food and water means risking your life, with mothers and fathers shot in the street as they try to find anything for their children to eat or drink. Almost all bakeries have shut down as they’ve run out of fuel and supplies, and nothing new is allowed in.
“Wounded civilians are desperately in need of treatment but are prevented from getting it, as the nearest hospital is besieged. Tanks surround it and nobody is allowed to enter or leave, with patients trapped inside. Other hospitals are almost out of supplies and fuel, and are unable to treat many of the civilian casualties who are arriving.”
The destruction of northern Gaza is the manifestation of ethnic cleansing and war crimes that Islamic Relief has warned of for months. Israel is now tightening its grip on Gaza, suffocating the north, annexing territory and systematically erasing entire Palestinian areas off the map.
Despite the claims of improvement over the past few days, hardly any aid is getting into northern Gaza and humanitarian missions are still being blocked constantly by the Israeli military.
International governments must increase pressure on Israel to end the massacre and allow sufficient humanitarian aid to reach people. There must be an immediate ceasefire and there must be consequences for the ongoing violations of international law. Islamic Relief Worldwide is calling on governments to halt all arms transfers, which are aiding and abetting these atrocities and likely war crimes, and pressure Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order to prevent genocide.