The Occupation Escalates Aggression by Bombing Houses & Public Facilities Amidst Aggravating Human Suffering

May 13, 2023; 13:00

For the fifth day in a row, the occupation still escalates its aggression against our defenseless people in the Gaza Strip by the bombing of residential houses and public facilities with a complete disregard for the principles of International Law and International Humanitarian Law. The occupation has resulted so far in the death of 33 people, including 6 children and 4 women, and the injury of 140 others. It also caused the complete destruction of 8 buildings and 51 housing units, severe damage to 49 housing units, and partial damage to about 800 others.

In this regard, the “Israeli” bombing caused damage to “Shoha’ Al-Aqsa Hospital” in Deir Al-Balah, resulting in a state of fear and panic among the patients, notably women and children. Similarly, the bombing damaged “Masqat Health Center” in Gezan Al-Najjar and forced the medical staff to move the emergency services to another location despite the dire need of the area for those services.

This criminal aggression is coupled with a complete closure of Gaza Strip crossings, preventing the supply of fuel and basic commodities. The lack of fuel threatens to stop the sole power plant in the Strip within 48 hours, which might lead, in turn, to a real humanitarian crisis, as more than 200 water wells, in addition to water processing and sanitation facilities, are going to stop too.

The aggression didn’t stop at the Gaza Strip but also included Palestinians in the West Bank. The occupation forces stormed this morning the Balata refugee camp and murdered in cold blood two young Palestinians. The occupation forces are effectively causing death and destruction everywhere.

This aggression, which comes amidst an extremely bad economic situation due to the strict closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than 17 years, has caused even further deterioration of social and economic conditions in the blockaded strip, as it deprived thousands of Gazans, especially fishermen, farmers and laborers, of their sources of living, which means that every passing day brings more suffering to their families.

In front of these distressing indications, we warn of an imminent humanitarian crisis that may hit Gaza Strip and its blockaded residents. We also call upon the international community to interfere immediately to curb the occupation and its extremist government and hold it accountable for the horrible crimes it commits against Palestinians.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Gaza – Palestine