Palestine Calls for Urgent Action Amid Unprecedented Humanitarian Catastrophe
By Edward Makuzva
The streets of Gaza are no longer recognizable. What were once bustling neighborhoods, filled with the sounds of life, have been reduced to mountains of rubble and despair.
Over the past ten days, relentless Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 1,042 Palestinians, including 322 children. The devastation is unimaginable, and the world is watching in silence.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri added that Israeli occupation forces have not only intensified their bombardment but have also expanded their ground operations, taking over swathes of Palestinian land while displacing thousands in northern Gaza.
The Palestinian ambassador reaveled that with Israel’s blockade in place since March 2, no food, water, fuel, or medical supplies have entered the Strip. Gaza now stands at the brink of famine, marking one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history.
“Israel’s 18-month genocidal war on Palestinian civilians has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, leveling homes, hospitals, and schools. Ambassador Tamer Almassri also condemns the killing and disappearance of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) paramedics and other first responders in Gaza as a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a stark example of Israel’s deliberate targeting of health workers and facilities.
“The state of Palestine demands prompt and independent investigations into these grave violations of international humanitarian law and calls for those responsible to be held fully accountable. The international community cannot remain silent in the face of such atrocities, which are a blatant attempt to wipe out critical healthcare in Gaza. Under International Humanitarian Law, health workers must be protected at all times, and their targeting is a war crime”, said ambassador Almassri.
Meanwhile, the occupation forces have extended their aggression beyond Gaza, tightening their grip on the West Bank. In Tulkarm, Jenin, and Nur Shams, military checkpoints suffocate movement while homes are seized and converted into sniper positions. Nearly 996 homes have been completely destroyed, with another 2,573 suffering partial destruction—a systematic effort to erase Palestinian existence.
Ambassador Almassri added that the state of Palestine is dismayed by the silence of the international community in the face of these atrocities. This silence and lack of action have emboldened Israel to continue its crimes, behaving as if it is above international law. The failure to stop and hold Israel accountable for its crimes is a shame to the international world order and undermines the principles of justice, equality, and human dignity.
The international community must take immediate action to protect the Palestinian people and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international humanitarian law. The State of Palestine demands an end to Israel’s occupation, blockade, and aggression, and calls for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Yet, as the suffering deepens, so does the resilience of the Palestinian people. In the ruins of their city, they refuse to be erased. Their voices grow louder, demanding justice, an end to occupation, and the right to live in their homeland.
The world must decide: will it continue to watch in silence, or will it act before history repeats itself?