The Mission of the State of Palestine to Ireland urgently brings to your attention the alarming and dire situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory, as outlined in the latest briefing from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, which is attached herewith.
The Gaza Strip:
- Killings and Injuries: Over 28,800 Palestinian civilians, including 70% women and children, have been killed by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip. Between February 15th and 16th, 112 Palestinians were killed, and 157 were injured.
- Displacement and Destruction: Continued Attacks in Rafah: Israeli airstrikes in Rafah have intensified, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation. Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are concentrated in less than 20% of the Gaza Strip, has been a focal point of the attacks.
- Forced Movement of Palestinians: Statements by Israeli occupation forces regarding a potential ground invasion to Rafah have triggered the forced movement of Palestinians from Gaza’s southernmost governorate towards Deir Al-Balah.
- Forcible Displacement and Food Insecurity: Palestinians from Rafah are being forcibly displaced towards Deir Al-Balah and Al-Nuseirat refugee camp due to intensified Israeli airstrikes. This displacement compounds existing challenges, including rising food insecurity, limitations on aid entry, erosion of coping mechanisms, and the looming threat of an Israeli ground operation.
- Collective Punishment: Palestinians in Gaza are subjected to collective punishment tactics. The intentional deprivation of essential services, such as electricity and access to medical care, constitutes a grave breach of human rights and contributes to the worsening health and living conditions of civilians.
The West Bank:
- Killings and Injuries: As of February 17th, 396 Palestinians, including 99 children, and 8 Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention, were killed by Israeli occupation forces or settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. More than 4,500 Palestinians, including at least 673 children, have been injured.
- Arbitrary Detention and Settler Violence: Mass arbitrary detention of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, has escalated during the Israeli aggression on Gaza, as part of the collective punishment policy against the Palestinian people. Over 552 settler attacks against Palestinians civilians have been recorded since October 7th, resulting in physical injuries and damage to property.
- Forcible Displacement and Legal Implications: Hundreds of Palestinians have been forcibly displaced following the destruction of their homes by Israeli occupation forces in “Area C” of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The deliberate targeting of civilians and infrastructure, as well as the use of internationally prohibited weapons, constitutes war crimes under international law and demands urgent international intervention.
Call to Action:
The international community must urgently intervene to halt the violence, protect civilian lives, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the West Bank. Immediate diplomatic pressure should be exerted on all parties to the conflict to respect international law and uphold the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
In conclusion, the humanitarian crises in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank demand a coordinated and robust response from the international community to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of civilians trapped in the midst of conflict and devastation.
The occupying state continues its genocidal war with impunity. Israel must be held accountable over its war crimes perpetrated against Palestinian people.
Accountability is a moral and legal imperative.
