Maureen Okpe
The Ambassador of the Embassy of the State of Palestine, Abdullah Abu Shawesh expressed concern over the devastating effects of the Hamas/Gaza war on children.
Shawesh decried the untold effect of the humanitarian crisis, stating this have robbed children of their innocence, quality family time and basic human rights.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, at the weekly press conference, the ambassador lamented over the sounds of American warplanes which have drowned out voices of grandmothers sharing bed time tales with their grandchildren, leaving many children disconnected from their culture.
The ambassador reeled out alarming statistics regarding the conflict, reported over 41,600 fatalities and nearly 100,000 injuries, with a significant number being women and children.
Shawesh condemned the role of the United States in funding and arming Israel, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the atrocities being committed.
He said, despite international pressure, including an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice and a recent UN General Assembly resolution, the U.S. continues to provide Israel with military aid, most recently securing an $8.7 billion package.
The statement reads; “bedtime stories have long been absent from the lives of Palestinian children.
“There are no beds for stories in plastic tents where children are forced to sleep on the ground.
“There is no time for stories when these children are gasping for breath, constantly searching for safety.
“The roar of American warplanes drowns out the voices of grandmothers who once told tales at night.
“By the time the warplanes leave Gaza’s skies, the grandmothers may be gone, and their grandchildren might never know the stories meant for them.
“Yet, the countless taboos and hardships have not broken our spirits or our yearning for freedom. Nor have they extinguished our love for storytelling.
“We will continue to remember our bedtime tales and pass them to the next generation.
Through love, we will live, smile, and dream.
We are the Phoenix.
“363 days of relentless, barbaric, and vicious bombardment with different types of American weapons left behind no less than 41,615 martyrs and 96,359 injured, the vast majority of whom were women and children. 902 families were completely erased from the Palestinian civil registry.
“Citing the Human Right Watch “as of September 16, 38 Palestinians, the majority being children, have died of malnutrition and dehydration in hospitals, …. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 22,500 people injured as of July 23, 2024, have sustained “life-changing injuries. UNICEF reported that thousands of children have lost one or two limbs within the first three months of the hostilities.
“In Gaza, over 1 million people did not receive food rations in August. In September, the number climbed to more than 1.4 million. Meanwhile, over 100,000 metric tons of food supplies, are stranded outside Gaza due to access restrictions, insecurity, damaged roads, and the breakdown of law & order. Again & again hunger is spreading in Gaza. It is entirely man-made. Nearly 70 per cent of crop fields have been destroyed. An entire population is forced to exclusively rely on humanitarian aid.”
“Ironically, Israel, the pariah state that was included on the United Nations’ “list of shame” for countries committing “grave violations” against children, the state that uses starvation as a method of war and weaponized water crises among other long list of war crimes, has declared the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres PERSONA NON GRATA and banned him from entering Israel. This may be the worst rude farce and dark comedy in political history. In this connection while all the security council members show strong support and full confidence for the SG, only the USA representative sits in silence like a grave.
“Despite the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice calling for an end to the transfer of arms, ammunition, and related equipment to Israel, and the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on September 13 that affirmed this demand, “Israel said on Thursday {September 26}, that it had secured an $8.7 billion aid package from the United States to support its ongoing military efforts and maintain a military edge in the region.” .
“That being said, is there any doubt that this is a USA war against the Palestinian people?
Thank you, Gaza, for revealing their true colors.