Civil Organizations Urgent Call to International Institutions for Immediate Intervention to Stop the Humanitarian Catastrophe in the Sector

SadaNews - Following the ongoing suffering witnessed by the entire world, one of its images emerged with the onset of the atmospheric depression in recent days and the resulting effects of the destruction of the displaced people's tents and their simple food supplies that the people of the Gaza Strip managed to gather despite their scarcity and unavailability. This continues the disaster resulting from the war crimes of genocide and the displacement of nearly two million citizens after the destruction of their homes due to the airstrikes of the occupation. The footage and reports from human rights centers in the Gaza Strip as winter begins forewarns of even greater dangers if the Israeli blockade continues and the entry of aid is prevented.

In light of this, the network of civil organizations issued a statement launching an urgent call to the international human rights and humanitarian institutions for immediate intervention to stop the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip, demanding the following, as stated in their announcement:

- Immediate action to allow aid in and permit trucks loaded with food and essential supplies to enter the Gaza Strip without delay, and to pressure the occupying state to stop its disregard for the lives of the local population, and to cease using aid as a tool for political blackmail and imposing the conditions of the occupation, including a ceasefire that it violates daily in front of the guarantor parties.

- The introduction of tents to house the most vulnerable groups of women, children, the elderly, and the displaced families whose tents were destroyed by the winds. Initial estimates from specialized sources indicate a need for 500,000 tents immediately and urgently, with a similar number needed as soon as possible.

- Work on introducing medical supplies, as UN estimates indicate that there are more than 16,000 patients, including 4,000 children, in need of immediate evacuation, with over 900 patients having died due to lack of necessary medical treatment or delays in its arrival.

- We demand pressure on the occupying state and force it to allow the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to access its warehouses located under full occupation control to transfer blankets, bedding, and supplies, and to immediately lift restrictions preventing access and enable agency workers to transport these items.

- The network calls, in light of UN warnings of the catastrophic public health situation due to contaminated drinking water from mixing with seawater and high salinity in the water used, which has led to the spread of diseases such as hepatitis, meningitis, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and cancer, for immediate action to save the lives of patients from certain death and provide them with treatment.

- The horrifying scenes of children who cannot move, their thin faces trembling, lacking food, water, or cover, are at the same time a profound humanitarian cry regarding the unprecedented suffering endured by our people in the Gaza Strip due to the occupation's crimes over the past two years and more than 17 years of tightened siege on the sector. This necessitates immediate international action to protect the Palestinian people and relentless efforts to continue holding the occupation accountable for its crimes and imposing international sanctions on it. This is part of restoring the role of the international institution and providing justice for the victims and compensating them.