The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah Shawesh has linked Israeli’s constant attack on Gaza to Western support of Israeli.
According to him, Western support is the reason why the war between both nations started in the first place.
Shawesh during a press briefing on Thursday highlighted the increasing effect of the war on Gaza, stating that the Palestinians in Gaza are today being forced to choose between being killed, maimed, or flee from their homes.
The statement reads: “Israel used F-15s, F-16s, F-35s, helicopters, tanks, missiles, and ammunition, which cost billions of dollars, to destroy the refugee camps and kill thousands of their very poor, scared, and displaced inhabitants. Meanwhile, hundreds of people died due to lack of proper medical treatment and infectious diseases. Famine is next at the door.
“Without the unshakable and unquestionable Western support to the Israeli aggression, this war would not have happened.
“The Palestinians in Gaza today are being forced to choose between being killed, maimed, or fleeing their homes. Remember, 70% of them are already refugees who fled their homeland 76 years ago.
“Gaza is the largest open funeral home in the world with the exception that instead of an entire family bidding farewell to one member for the last time, in Gaza one family member bids farewell to his or her entire family
“US President Biden said, and I quote, “Israel’s response in Gaza is over the top…there are a lot of innocent people who are starving, in trouble, and dying. It’s got to stop.” This is necessary but certainly not sufficient. Some quick reactions to this: if it’s over the top, do you know that those who were killed by US-manufactured weapons? Could you allow the Security Council to work and adopt a ceasefire resolution? All that Mr. Biden said means nothing as long as he does not take practical steps to put an end to the butchery of innocent people by American weapons.
“The Israeli victims of their government’s long-standing policies are very lucky, as they used to appear in media all over the world with their pictures, names, life stories, how much love they spread, and how much pain their loss left in the hearts of their families {which is very human and very true}. Each one of them was simply shown as a human being. On the other hand, one hundred thousand Palestinian victims, killed, maimed, wounded, still under the rubble, widows, orphans, and torn families are presented as mere numbers, and the news screens, particularly western ones, have not yet shown their pictures. It’s really strong proof that there are two types of human beings: The Jewish and the white people from one side and the Gentiles from the other side.
“The Israeli soldiers stole 54 million dollar from Palestine bank on Gaza.
“WHO had documented 721 attacks on health care in the OPT since 7 October; of those, 357 attacks in Gaza had resulted in 645 fatalities.
“28300 people were martyred at the hands of the Israeli occupation, including 7750 women and 12250 children, while 68000 were injured. 8000 are still missing under the rubble. Out of the 22 health units affiliated with the UNRWA, only four are operating due to the destruction and access restrictions. Thirteen hospitals out of 36 in Gaza are functioning.
“There is a risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases due to unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and the heavy burden on the health system.
“According to the Minister of Health, there have been 223,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, 158,000 cases of diarrhea, 53% of which were among children under the age of five, 55,472 cases of scabies and lice, 38,010 cases of skin rash, and 5,330 cases of chickenpox, in addition to several cases of relapsing hepatitis.
“In the Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem
“Since October 7, Israel’s occupying forces and settler militias have killed 390 Palestinians, including 102 children, and injured 4,500. In addition, thousands of Palestinians, mostly men and boys, have been rounded up, arrested, violently interrogated, dehumanized, tortured, and imprisoned, with dozens executed.
“7,000 Palestinians have been detained in Israeli jails, including 440 children, 53 press correspondents, and 3490 administrative detainees.
“Rafah is at stake and the Palestinians are very close to being exiled to Sinai.
“Rafah is a Palestinian city located near the border with Egypt. It became heavily populated by Gazans after the IOF forcibly displaced them from the north. The Israeli prime minister has asked the IOF to prepare a military plan to invade it, stating that the over 1.4 million civilians who have crowded into Rafah will be able to evacuate before the army begins operations there.
“One very dangerous point here is that he did not indicate where they will be evacuated? Will they be sent to the north? meaning back to the rubble of their homes and the remains of their house units? Or will they be sent to the south, which would force them to cross the Egyptian borders? In this case, they are going to implement their very old plan of expelling the Palestinians to Sinai?
“Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said, and I quote, Today, I’m sounding the alarm once again: Military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza. They could also leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door. We lack the safety guarantees, the aid supplies and the staff capacity to keep this operation afloat. The international community has been warning against the dangerous consequences of any ground invasion in Rafah. The Government of Israel cannot continue to ignore these calls.
History will not be kind.
This war must end.”
“In his press conference on 2024 priorities on 8 February 2024, the UNSG said, “In Gaza, the situation just keeps getting worse. In addition to the death and destruction from military operation- starvation and disease are bearing down on Palestinians in Gaza… one of our convoys was damages by Israeli naval artillery earlier this week. Just 10 out of 61 planned aid convoys to the north reached their destination in January…. Food and water are needed for a desperate population. Medicine and fuel are needed for the desperation in hospitals. And other lifesaving supplies for a population in a terrible situation.”
“Destruction for Expelling the Palestinian People
The mass destruction, relentless bombardment, artillery shells, and other Israeli military aggressions on Gaza are meant to serve only one purpose, which is the expulsion of the Palestinians in an exodus. This plan was declared by many Israeli official tens of years ago, but many might have only heard about it since the latest escalation.
“In a press release, February 8, Volker Turk the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said, “Destructions carried out to create a “buffer zone” for general security purposes do not appear consistent with the narrow “military operations” exception set out in international humanitarian law. Further, extensive destruction of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly, amounts to a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and a war crime….. Since late October 2023, my Office has recorded widespread destruction and demolition by the {IDF}[5] of civilian and other infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools and universities in areas in which fighting is not or no longer taking place…. Israel has not provided cogent reasons for such extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure…..Such destruction of homes and other essential civilian infrastructure also entrenches the displacement of communities that were living in these areas prior to the escalation in hostilities, and appears to be aimed at or has the effect of rendering the return of civilians to these areas impossible. I remind the authorities that forcible transfer of civilians may constitute a war crime.”
“Palestinian President Office
Nabil Abu Rudeinh the official spokesman for the Palestinian presidency said and I quote “the ground Israeli military offensive escalation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and attempts to forcibly displace Palestinian citizens, do not absolve the American administration of its responsibility…what is required of the American administration is to force the occupation to stop the genocidal massacres it is committing against the Palestinian people …. This will push to the brink of the abyss”
“The United States has many cards that, if used, could end this genocidal war. Closing the lethal US weapons and ammunition tap supplying Israel would necessarily mean saving thousands of innocent lives. Removing the political shield that Israel enjoys in the Security Council and other international forums is another tool in the hands of the United States to stop this genocidal war.”