Sigrid Kaag restated the concern of Secretary-General António Guterres that conducting such an operation at this time could have catastrophic consequences for innocent civilians.

“There are more than a million people crammed in Rafah. It’s not intended for a million people in shelters, in random sort of plastic sheeted constructions. Health conditions are very worrisome,” she told correspondents in Brussels after briefing European Union foreign ministers.

She expressed great worry about providing assistance to the Gaza Strip and ensuring it reaches those who require it.

“We must recognize that the security situation, which is unrelated to military operations, is being hindered by self-distribution among desperate civilians, as well as looting and criminal activities. This is impeding the efforts of the humanitarian community to provide assistance to those who truly require it,” she stated.

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On Monday, Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, traveled to the Gaza Strip and met with families who have been displaced due to the conflict.

He also had meetings with representatives from NGOs and the United Nations to witness firsthand the obstacles they encounter, such as the disruption of law and order that is hindering the delivery of aid.

At the usual press briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric informed reporters that further actions are necessary.

“The United Nations requires the necessary resources to effectively carry out operations on the field. This includes the importance of Israel permitting access to items essential for UN activities and improving efforts to prevent conflicts,” stated the speaker.

Continued hostilities

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), there is ongoing and severe bombing from Israel in the war-torn area, using air, land, and sea attacks. This has led to more civilian deaths, displacement, and damage to civilian buildings and structures.

According to a recent update from OCHA, there are ongoing ground operations and intense battles between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, particularly in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah.

According to reports, armed Palestinians fired numerous rockets towards Israel between February 17th and 19th.

Nasser hospital evacuations

According to OCHA, the Israeli military is still carrying out operations in the Nasser Hospital complex in Khan Younis. It was reported that on Sunday, 14 patients were evacuated by the UN and the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Talks are currently underway to evacuate the remaining patients.

The hospital still houses more than 180 patients and 15 medical professionals, as reported by the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO).

“The hospital continues to face a severe lack of food, essential medical supplies, and oxygen. There is no access to tap water or electricity, with the exception of a backup generator that is keeping some life-saving machines operational,” stated the WHO.

Sharp increase in child malnutrition.

On Monday, UN organizations cautioned about a significant increase in malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women, which poses a serious danger to their health.

The state of affairs is particularly grave in northern Gaza, as it has been nearly entirely isolated from assistance for several weeks. Here, one out of every six children below the age of two is suffering from severe malnutrition.

In a recent report, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), WHO, and the World Food Programme (WFP) stated that the conditions in the southern Gaza Strip remain grim.

In the city of Rafah, where assistance is more accessible, five percent of children under the age of two are experiencing severe malnutrition.

The organizations emphasized the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to Rafah in order to prevent catastrophic consequences, reaffirming the need for protection from potential military attacks.

West Bank violence

Over the weekend, OCHA reported additional instances of violence in the West Bank which resulted in casualties for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Two Israeli citizens were fatally shot and killed on 16 February in the southern region of Israel. Additionally, a child and four others were injured in the incident. The perpetrator, a Palestinian resident of Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, was later shot and killed by an armed Israeli civilian.

Israeli forces fatally shot two Palestinian men in Tulkarm Refugee camp on Sunday during a confrontation with a Palestinian man. The body of the Palestinian man was not returned to his family by Israeli forces.

According to OCHA, a Palestinian without weapons was shot and killed by an Israeli army sniper while standing on his house’s rooftop. This was the second death reported.

From October 7th, 2023 to February 18th, a total of 393 Palestinians, including 100 children, were killed and 4,511 Palestinians, including 699 children, were injured in conflicts in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel.

According to OCHA, in the same timeframe, 12 Israelis, including four members of the Israeli forces, were killed and 80 were injured in incidents related to the conflict in those areas.

The international court was requested to provide a legal perspective.

Currently, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is conducting a hearing at the Peace Palace in The Hague regarding an advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences resulting from Israel’s Policies and Practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which includes East Jerusalem.

The General Assembly requested an advisory opinion on the occupation in December 2022, though it is not legally binding.

The hearings are scheduled for February 19th to 26th, and will include participation from more than 50 countries, groups, and the State of Palestine.

Source: news.un.org