The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, has condemned the ongoing Israeli military campaign against Palestinian civilians, now in its 342nd day, accusing both Israel and the United States of carrying out a “televised genocide” and violating international law. In a strongly worded statement, Shawesh highlighted the mass killings, destruction, and displacement of Palestinians as part of a relentless and lethal campaign.
As of September 11, the death toll among Palestinians had risen to 41,000, with 95,000 wounded and 10,000 still missing under rubble. The ongoing conflict has also resulted in the arrest and detention of 10,400 Palestinians, many of whom are reportedly subjected to severe ill-treatment, torture, and medical neglect. Shawesh underscored the complicity of Western nations, particularly the U.S., which he accused of providing military support to Israel despite overwhelming evidence of human rights abuses.
“Countries that claim to be the greatest defenders of human rights are now blatantly trampling on those very principles,” Shawesh said. “America and Israel are essentially practicing the law of the jungle in broad daylight.”
The conflict has had a devastating impact on education in Gaza, where more than 630,000 students have been unable to enroll in schools for the 2024-2025 academic year. Additionally, 58,000 university students and 39,000 high school students are unable to continue their education. The Israeli military campaign has led to the destruction of 90% of government school buildings, with many UNRWA-run schools now serving as shelters for displaced families. The toll on students is staggering, with 25,000 killed, wounded, or maimed.
Shawesh also highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel’s blockade has resulted in widespread starvation. On October 9, 2023, Israel announced a starvation campaign against Gaza, and by December, Palestinians in the region made up 80% of the global population experiencing famine or catastrophic hunger. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the average number of humanitarian trucks entering Gaza in August 2024 was just 69 per day, a fraction of the pre-crisis average of 500 trucks. The death toll from starvation and dehydration, particularly among children and infants, has reached 37.
In addition to the blockade, Israel has expanded its buffer zone along the Gaza perimeter, confiscating 58 km², or 16% of the Gaza Strip, according to Amnesty International. This has severely affected Gaza’s agriculture, with 59% of the land showing signs of crop decline due to the ongoing conflict.
Shawesh also called attention to the killing of American activist Aysinur Ezgi Eci in the occupied West Bank. Eci, who was expressing solidarity with Palestinians, was killed by American weapons in the hands of Israeli forces. Shawesh criticized the U.S. administration for its muted response, comparing it to the similarly hollow reaction to the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
In his appeal, Shawesh called on the international community to hold Israel and its allies accountable, enforce international law, and end the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe,” Shawesh concluded, urging the global community to take immediate and decisive action to stop the violence.