The plight of children in Gaza; waste crisis, water crisis, respiratory illnesses plague Gaza; 2024 Freedom Flotilla participants assemble; Jews' massive raid in Tulkarem’s Nur Shams camp with multiple murders and rapes; US house passes bill that includes $13B aid package to Israel; more
I left Gaza yesterday after spending two weeks there. It was my second mission into Gaza this year.
By far, what struck me most about this mission was the number of wounded children – not just in the hospitals, but on the streets. In their makeshift shelters. Going about their now permanently altered lives.
Children are wearing a tremendous share of the scars of this war.
The thousands of injured in Gaza struggle to receive the medical care they need…injured children often languish in pain.
With at least 70 children injured every day, we need the number of medical evacuations to increase so children can access the care they urgently need.
And with one child killed or injured every ten minutes, above anything else, we need a ceasefire. It is the only way to stop the killing and maiming of children.
Their shattered bodies and fractured lives are a testament to the brutality being forced upon them.
Waste crisis in Gaza
OCHA reports: About 270,000 tons of solid waste have accumulated across the Gaza Strip, creating an environmental and public health catastrophe, according to the Union of Gaza Strip Municipalities.
Gaza City accounts for some 90,000 tons, or about a third, of accumulated waste, which the municipality mainly attributes to restricted access to fuel, the destruction of solid waste collection vehicles, and Israeli authorities’ denial of access to the main landfill in Juhr ad Dik area in eastern Gaza city.
The destruction of waste management facilities and medical waste disposal centers has also severely hampered the collection and disposal of solid waste by municipalities.
Government Media Office says Gaza City now ‘living in a state of extreme thirst’
Gaza’s Government Media Office says all of the city’s water wells had stopped functioning two weeks ago.
The wells are no longer operational mainly due to a lack of fuel, which Israel has banned from entering the Strip since it imposed a total blockade more than six months ago.
Gaza City’s only desalination plant, more than 40 water wells and the city’s water networks have been destroyed, the office said.
It warned that the “crisis” has reached its peak as temperatures continue to rise and demand for water consumption has also increased.
“The whole city is living in a state of extreme thirst,” it said.
Gaza’s “health and environmental crisis” is only going to get much worse amid extreme water shortages, the office added.
‘Hundreds’ suffering from respiratory illnesses amid lack of cooking gas
Gaza’s civil defense has called for the “urgent” entry of cooking gas, particularly to Gaza City and the northern parts of the Strip.
In a statement, it said families have resorted to cooking using plastic pots over charcoal and firewood for months, which have released “poisonous gas”.
This has caused a “new humanitarian and health crisis”, the civil defense said, adding that its teams have so far registered “hundreds” of cases of people suffering from respiratory illnesses.
RECOMMENDED READING: Israeli communities near Gaza are on stolen land, former owners consigned to the Gaza ghetto
Gaza Freedom Flotilla participants prepare to embark
From the Freedom Flotilla Coalition: On Friday, hundreds of civilians from dozens of countries met in Istanbul to prepare to sail very soon for Gaza, carrying thousands of tons of life-saving food and medicine. The Freedom Flotilla aims to break Israel’s unlawful siege of Gaza and demand an immediate ceasefire to save the lives of thousands of Palestinians.
There will be participants from over 30 countries on board, including 40 Americans. Elliot Adams, ex-president of Veterans for Peace and former US paratrooper, calls out the complicity of his own government in supporting Israel’s genocidal aggression: “Israel is trying to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza, with US support, through starvation as well as direct violence. This is a humanitarian crisis and we have got to try to stop it by breaking the siege.”
Participants will undergo non-violence training for the next three days, during which they will review potential scenarios and learn various strategies and tactics to protect themselves and each other in the event of any attacks. The Flotilla will depart next week carrying over 5,000 tons of humanitarian aid on a cargo ship, accompanied by two passenger ships.
Huwaida Arraf, a human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer says: “Israel’s current siege on Gaza, as well as its 17-year-long blockade are forms of collective punishment, which is a war crime. As the siege and blockade are illegal, Israel has no right to attack or stop our ships. We call on our governments, which have thus far done nothing to protect the Palestinian people or compel Israel to abide by international law, to start living up to their obligations and demand our flotilla have safe passage to Gaza. We ask people around the world to join us in this call.”
Middle East Eye adds: This initiative evokes memories of the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010 when an attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza resulted in the deaths of ten people after the Israeli army raided the ship in international waters. The incident strained Turkish-Israeli diplomatic relations significantly.
Two ships are designated for activists, while a third, currently docked in Turkey’s Iskenderun, will carry 5.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
Another ship is expected to join from Italy. Approximately 1,000 people will participate in the voyage, accompanied by 100 journalists with internet and satellite connections.
Despite ongoing preparations, it is uncertain when or if the ships will set sail. While the Turkish government maintains silence, Israeli officials have expressed hope that the attempt will be indefinitely postponed. Despite ongoing preparations, it is uncertain when or if the ships will set sail. While the Turkish government maintains silence, Israeli officials have expressed hope that the attempt will be indefinitely postponed. Israel has designated the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) – the primary organizer of the coalition – as a “terror organization” since 2008.
Ten reported dead in ongoing Israeli attack on Nur Shams in occupied West Bank
The New Arab reports: Israeli forces have raided Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank for a second day, killing ten people, including a teenager, in clashes with local militia fighters.
The Israeli assault has caused unprecedented destruction to the camp.
Dozens of people have been injured and arrested in the large-scale offensive that started on Thursday night when Israeli forces stormed Nur Shams near Tulkarm, invaded buildings and conducted arrests.
The Israeli army said in a statement on Saturday it had killed “10 terrorists” during the 40-hour raid on the camp.
Palestinians sources said a number of the dead were civilians, including 16-year-old Qais Fathi Nasrallah, the son of a paramedic from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), who was shot by Israeli forces in Tulkarm.
Residents from the camp have reported major destruction by the Israeli military which included a bulldozer that tore apart buildings and shop fronts, and streets in what locals said was the worst demolition seen in decades.
Around 13,500
Palestinians live in Nur Shams in the northwest of the West Bank. It has
been repeatedly invaded by Israeli forces over the years, targeting
local militia groups, but deadly assaults have escalated since the start of the war on Gaza in October.
What’s in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House
ABC News reports: Here is a look at what’s in the $95 billion package passed by the House on Saturday that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems, and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.
Senate passage is expected this coming week. President Joe Biden has promised to sign the package as soon as he gets it.
The broad spending breakdown:
-
- about $61 billion for Ukraine and replenishing U.S. weapons stockpiles. The overall amount provided to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons would be $13.8 billion. Ukraine would receive more than $9 billion of economic assistance in the form of “forgivable loans.”
- about $26 billion for supporting Israel and providing humanitarian relief for people in Gaza. About $4 billion of that would be dedicated to replenishing Israel’s missile defense systems. More than $9 billion of the total would go toward humanitarian assistance in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.
- about $8 billion for helping U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region and countering China. More than $3.3 billion would go toward submarine infrastructure and development, with an additional $1.9 billion to replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan and other regional allies.
Iranian foreign minister has a zinger for Israel
NBC News reports: Referring to the the recent attack on his country, Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said in an interview with NBC News, “What happened last night was not a strike. They were more like toys that our children play with – not drones.”
Amirabdollahian, who spoke to NBC News in New York where he was attending a U.N. Security Council session, said Iran was not planning to respond unless Israel launches a significant attack.
“As long as there is no new adventurism by Israel against our interests, then we are not going to have any new reactions,” he said.
Barbados joins several other countries recognizing Palestine
Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation reports: Barbados has taken a bold step to recognize Palestine as a state.
The announcement from Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kerrie Symmonds brings the island in line with the majority of UN Member States that have done so.
The European Union as a whole does not recognize Palestine, nor do the United States and Canada.
Government has faced calls in recent times from a number of local organizations to recognize Palestine.
Mr. Symmonds says Barbados believes the recognition of Palestine is critical to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian question.
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IMEMC News Reports
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – APRIL 19:
Palestinian death toll from October 7 – April 19: at least 34,753* (34,275 in Gaza* (at least 14,560 children, 9,582 women), and at least 478 in the West Bank (117 children). This does not include an estimated 7,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 40,042 Palestinian deaths.
At least 42 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons (27 from Gaza, 14 from West Bank)
At least 31 Palestinian children and several adults have died due to malnutrition**
About 1.7 million, or 75% of Gaza’s population are currently displaced.
About 1.1 million (out of total population of 2.3 million) are facing Catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Palestinian injuries from October 7 – April 19: at least 81,664 (including at least 76,833 in Gaza and 5,000 in the West Bank).
It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7 – April 19: ~1,407 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~574 were civilians, 373 or 337 were security and/or military forces, ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 259 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza;, 16 in the West Bank) and~8,730 injured.
Times of Israel reports: The IDF also listed 41 soldiers killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents – nearly 16%.
NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.
*Previously, IAK did not include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile was being disputed. However, given that much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, Israel had previously bombed the hospital and has attacked many others, Israel is prohibiting outside experts from investigating the scene, and since the UN and other agencies are including the deaths from the attack in their cumulative totals, if Americans knew is now also doing so.
**Euro-Med Monitor reports that Gaza’s elderly are dying at an alarmingly high rate. The majority die at home and are buried either close to their residences or in makeshift graves dispersed across the Strip. There are currently more than 140 such cemeteries. Additionally, according to Euromed, thousands have died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care; these are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals.
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