Turk denounces the escalation in Gaza and warns of “pushing a demographic shift”

Turk said in a statement issued today, Friday: “This torrent of bombs, which compels people to displace, amid the threat of intensifying attacks, the systematic destruction of entire neighborhoods, and depriving them of humanitarian aid, indicates that there is a push towards a permanent demographic shift in Gaza, which represents a challenge to international law and is equivalent to ethnic cleansing.”.

The High Commissioner warned that the escalation this week raises fears of the start of a broader Israeli attack, and urged all parties, including direct influential countries, to stop the attack. He added: “We must stop this madness.”.

The UN official pointed out that medical services are in a state of collapse, and the shelters are constantly shrinking under the weight of displacement and destruction, and families are forced to live in tents in conditions with a lot of criteria that preserve their human dignity, and severe hunger is aggravated by the Israeli closure.

These attacks should stop

Referring to the Israeli bombing, which affected the two of the largest hospitals in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, the Nasser Medical Complex and the European Gaza Hospital on May 13, Turk said: “Hospitals are protected at all times – and they are more important during the war. The killing of patients or people who visit their wounded or patients, emergency workers or other civilians looking for shelter, is tragic as much as it is hateful. These attacks must stop.”.

He stressed that “Even if Israel, as claimed, is targeting the Hamas leadership centers underground, and even if the destruction of these facilities provides a sure military advantage at the time of the attack, it is binding under international law to ensure the constant concern to protect the lives of civilians, but it is clear that it does not seem so.”.

The High Commissioner’s statement indicated that the footage of the surveillance cameras broadcast by international news agencies taken immediately before at least one of the raids at the European Hospital shows children, women and men wandering around the place, apparently neglecting the imminent attack. He added that it is very likely that their presence is known due to the ongoing air control over the Gaza Strip, specifically in the targeted areas.

The statement added that international humanitarian law requires the suspension of the attack when it is clear that it is illegal, and hospitals are prohibited for harmful military purposes under international humanitarian law.

And Turk said: “The laws of war, based on the Geneva Conventions, sacred, as well as the rules that obligate all countries, without exception, to protect human rights, including the agreement to prevent the crime of genocide and punish them. All actors are obligated to strictly commit to these rules. Whoever violates them must be held accountable.”.

“The horrors of the Day of Resurrection”

Scenes of displacement from areas in northern Gaza monitored by the United Nations News reporter, where the displaced told him that they are fleeing in search of safety. but “There is no safe place in the Gaza Strip”Also, Aya Abu Tabikh was sitting with her children on a vehicle that is drawn by a donkey and carries the remaining belongings.

Aya added: “We go to the places of accommodation that they say are safe.”.

“The horrors of the Day of Resurrection” A description used by Ahmed Mohsen speaking about the night they had to displace from the Al -Amoudi area in the northern Gaza Strip to Gaza City.

Ahmed told our correspondent: “Suddenly, the bombing began in a row of warplanes, tanks, war boats and helicopters, in addition to bombing the homes around us, and the drones were shooting and receiving bombs. We do not know what happened suddenly, and as you see, everyone is displacing, and no one remains in the area.”.

“We return to the same place”

There are those who were displaced, but he is preparing to return to the place from which he was displaced, including Khairi Skik, who was packing the remaining property and family on a vehicle dragged by a donkey, while talking to our correspondent.

Khairi said: “We were displaced last night and stayed on the street, we did not find a safe home or place. Now we will return to the place where the bombing and explosions were. We went out for fear of our children, and now we return to the same place.”.

As for Maysara Thabet, who is also displaced, he spoke about “Night full of terror”.

Damagel: “Nobody can live under these circumstances. We are above all human, and we are not tactical animals or losses. We have the right to live safely. This is the eighth time that we are displacing because of the occupation. Everyone calls us losses, and for them we are just simple things. We need someone to stand with us.”.

Hospitals and injuries are continuing

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 250 people were killed during the past 36 hours, as violent hostile works continued throughout Thursday night throughout the Gaza Strip.

In northern Gaza, the office referred to reports that more than 150 wounded had arrived at the return and Indonesian hospitals, according to the Ministry of Health. He added that reports that rescue teams are unable to reach many parts of the North Gaza Governorate, with the continued air strikes and artillery shelling.

He drew attention to the continued attacks on the influence of health care facilities, including the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis, who has become out of service as a result of a series of raids on its buildings and its surroundings.

The World Health Organization reported that the closure of the hospital has cut off vital services, including neurosurgery, heart care, and cancer treatment – all of which are not available anywhere else in Gaza. Moreover, the closure ends the role of the facility as a major center for medical evacuation, which puts additional pressure on the heavy health system.

The OCHA office also indicated that the ongoing hostile works endanger the hospitals in northern Gaza, the patients and the employees there at risk.

The World Health Organization said that an air strike near the Indonesian Hospital spread fear, disrupted arrival, and increased the risk of closing. In Jabalia, another raid on Thursday, near Al -Awda Hospital, caused additional damage to the facility, according to the hospital administration.

The office warned that these attacks destroy valuable equipment and prohibit people from reaching life -saving services, as they increase the pressure on hospitals that are still operating, especially those that receive large numbers of cases of clarity with the continued attacks.

The fraudulent status

The Humanitarian Coordination Office said that the intensification of operations by the Israeli forces comes after the issuance of several displacement orders for areas in the governorates of northern Gaza, Deir Al -Balah and Khan Yunis during the past three days, adding that the situation is still very volatile and unpredictable.

He stated that in the north of Gaza, about 17,000 people have been displaced so far from Jabalia and Beit Lahia since yesterday afternoon, and that people are fleeing without their property to the neighboring areas in the north.

He added that in the far south, since yesterday noon, thousands of people were forced to flee from the eastern areas of Deir Al -Balah and East Khan Yunis. The partners on the ground reported that the displaced people are looking for shelter in the center of the city of Deir Al -Balah, in addition to the area of ​​Al -Mawsa and West Khan Yunis.

Meanwhile, all the crossings leading to Gaza remained closed in front of the seventy -fifth day in a row.

The office warned that inside Gaza, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners in the human field, which impedes their ability to respond to the enormous needs.

18 societal kitchen reopen its doors

The office stressed that despite the tremendous challenges, the United Nations and its partners continue to mobilize aid as permitted by the situation.

He added that 18 societal kitchen had been closed previously, managed to resume work, thanks to the participation of members of the local community to their remaining food stocks. Thus, the total number of hot meals prepared today, Friday, is 340,000 meals, compared to less than 250,000 meals yesterday.

The office pointed out that all the kitchens that are still working modified the size and content of the meals they provide to increase the exploitation of the decreasing supplies and avoid the complete closure.

The Osha office renewed the call to raise the comprehensive closure of Gaza to allow the entry of the supplies that are intense, in addition to protecting civilians and resuming the ceasefire immediately.