UN: More than 470,000 residents in northern Gaza facing mass casualties amid a siege situation

In a series of identical letters to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, General Assembly President Philemon Yang, and the rotating President of the Security Council, Pascale Baeriswyl, Riyad Mansour accused Israel of perpetrating genocide in Gaza, under the watch of the international community. He cautioned that over 470,000 people in the northern region of the Gaza Strip face the threat of mass casualties.

The speaker highlighted allegations against Israel, accusing the nation of withholding essential resources such as food, water, and medicine from Palestinians in the northern region for an extended period. Furthermore, the speaker claimed that Israeli airstrikes have targeted hospitals, impeding access to medical care for civilians. Additionally, the speaker accused Israel of forcibly relocating Palestinian families to the south, despite concerns over the lack of safe refuge.

Mansour has called on the United Nations Security Council to prioritize the protection of civilians, urging an immediate ceasefire and insisting that all involved parties adhere to its terms. He further demanded measures to prevent Israel from infringing upon international law.

A senior Palestinian diplomat has called for an immediate halt to the forced expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, urging the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and other UN bodies.

Decaying Bodies Discovered on Jabalia Streets

In the wake of the Israeli ground offensive targeting the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Palestinian evacuees report the harrowing sight of bodies remaining on the streets. This comes after the Israeli military instructed civilians to vacate a designated shelter.

A witness reported that in the midst of chaos, several individuals fled the scene so hastily that they inadvertently abandoned their children.

The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has accused the Tel Aviv government of exploiting global distractions to perpetrate what it describes as “ethnic cleansing” in northern Gaza.

B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, has accused Israel of intending to forcibly displace residents of northern Gaza, actions it describes as “among the gravest crimes” under international warfare laws. The group has urged the global community and international organizations to take “immediate, decisive” measures in response.

According to the statement, since the commencement of Israel’s current operation in the northern Gaza Strip on October 5, the region has been subjected to an almost total siege, with the military conducting continuous strikes.

The organization reported that Israel has effectively isolated them from the global community, and scarce reports emerging from the area depict grim scenes with deceased individuals scattering the streets, widespread hunger, and a severe lack of drinking water.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has issued an urgent call to the international community for the provision of blankets as the region prepares for the colder months. They reported that current blanket supplies are being utilized as shrouds for deceased individuals, highlighting a critical shortage.

In response to the severe cold weather conditions, blankets have become a critical necessity. However, they are presently being repurposed to cover the bodies of deceased Palestinians due to a shortage of shrouds at local hospitals, according to a statement on the organization’s official Telegram channel.

The statement requested that instead of provisions, shrouds be sent to cover their bodies, anticipating imminent death to prevent others from being disturbed by the sight of blood and injuries.