United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on October 9 expressed his deep distress over Israel’s complete siege of Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the blockade.
“The siege of Gaza is unacceptable and is causing immense suffering to the people of Gaza,” Guterres said in a statement. “The blockade is preventing the entry of essential goods and services, including food, medicine, and fuel. It is strangling the economy and making it impossible for the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives.”
“I understand Israel’s security concerns, but I also remind Israel that its military operations must comply with international humanitarian law,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Earlier today, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, which will result in power outages, food shortages, and water and gas disruptions for the enclave’s 2.3 million residents.
Israel has counted over 800 deaths in the past three days, while Palestinian officials say that Israel’s air strikes on Gaza have raised the death toll there to 687. The United States has confirmed the deaths of nine of its citizens. The Israeli army says it has regained control of southern areas near the Gaza Strip that had been taken over by Hamas.
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. The commission will also investigate the alleged violations of international law committed by all parties during the recent conflict in Gaza.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip braced for a possible Israeli ground attack, fearing that it could be massive and aim to defeat Hamas and liberate Israeli hostages. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the recent violence did not come in a vacuum and grew out of a long-standing conflict with no political end in sight.
Following Hamas’ unprecedented ground, air, and sea attacks on Israel, Israel has launched a withering barrage of strikes on Gaza that have raised the death toll there to over 560 people.
The establishment of the commission of inquiry is a significant development, as it sends a strong message from the international community that the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories is unacceptable. The commission’s findings are expected to provide a comprehensive and authoritative account of the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories, including the impact of the siege of Gaza.
Hamas’ military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassem Brigades, threatened to execute a civilian hostage for every Israeli attack on Gaza without warning.
Palestinians in the impoverished and densely populated Gaza Strip are bracing for a possible Israeli ground attack aimed at defeating Hamas and liberating at least 100 hostages.
The siege has had a devastating impact on the economy of Gaza. The unemployment rate is over 50%, and over 2 million people are dependent on food aid. The blockade has also had a severe impact on the health care system in Gaza. There is a shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies, and the power outages are disrupting the health care system.
Human rights groups have repeatedly condemned the siege of Gaza as a violation of international law. Amnesty International has called the siege a “collective punishment” of the people of Gaza. Human Rights Watch has said that the siege is “causing immense suffering” to the people of Gaza.
The international community must continue to pressure Israel to lift the siege of Gaza. The siege is a humanitarian crisis and a violation of international law. The people of Gaza deserve to live in freedom and dignity.
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