Maureen Okpe
The Ambassador of the Embassy of the State of Palestine, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, have described the horrific conditions of torture, hunger, and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, by the Israeli forces.
Shawesh during a press briefing in Abuja, decried the continuous mis-treatment of Palestinians, stating Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war.
He noted that, 43,603 Palestinians were killed and 102,929 were injured in Gaza, with the vast majority being children and women and 188 journalists were also killed.
According to him, “These numbers are likely to be a serious understatement, as many of those killed and injured remain under the rubble.”
Speaking further, he disclosed that, as of November 10, the total number of Palestinian detainees in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has reached 11,600, including 430 women, 760 children, and 132 journalists, 85 of whom are still in detention, and administrative orders have exceeded 10,000 detainees.
The Ambassador also noted that, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as of November 9, 811 Palestinians were killed, 5,755 injured, and 13,585 permanent and temporary military checkpoints were set up.
He said, “The arrest campaign was accompanied by human humiliation, severe beatings, in addition to the vandalism destruction of Palestinian homes and property, and theft of their money and gold. These figures do not include detainees from Gaza, where some estimates indicate that their number exceeds 5,000 without any information about them. 41 Palestinian detainees were killed as a result of ill-treatment and severe beatings
“In the Negev and Ofer prisons, prisoners face difficult conditions, especially those from Gaza. What makes matters worse is the spread of scabies among prisoners, who are all subjected to brutal torture, insults and medical neglect.
“Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, particularly in North Gaza where only 30 trucks are allowed to enter per day, which is nearly 6% of the daily needs. This deprivation of food is making it difficult for the people in Gaza to even survive.
“Using the starvation as method and measure of war on Gaza specially on the north will lead to catastrophic health consequence on the short and long run.
“The people who are still in North Gaza are living under an immobilizing siege, are being deliberately and continuously bombed, and are without food, water, and medical supplies. Anyone who tries to flee in search of these necessities is targeted by Israeli drones and killed”
CitingJoyce Msuya Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs “Now is the time for Member States to use their leverage to prevent and stop violations of international humanitarian law — through diplomatic and economic pressure, responsible arms transfers and combating impunity. Now is the time for the Security Council to use its powers under the UN Charter to ensure compliance with international law and full implementation of its resolutions.”
“In the upcoming months, the occupied West Bank will be in the eye of the storm. Israel intends to extend its sovereignty over it, believing that the upcoming US administration will support this move.
“This will be the final nail in the coffin of the peace process and the two-state solution,” Shawesh stressed.