TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has condemned continued attacks on northern Gaza by Israel in recent days and has called on its military to immediately ceasefire.

Israel launched a major air and ground assault in northern Gaza earlier this month, vowing to stop Hamas militants from regrouping in the area. It has particularly targeted the Jabalia refugee camp, where thousands of civilians have been displaced.

Over the weekend, dozens more men, women and children were killed in air raids, according to the region’s health ministry. Two hospitals in northern Gaza were also targeted during the strikes, the Tánaiste said.

The international community is growing more concerned over reports that medical and humanitarian aid is being blocked from entering. The UN’s latest figures show that only 396 aid trucks have entered Gaza this month, compared to 3,003 last month.

One displaced Palestinian today told the AFP news agency that if you are not killed by a bombing or gunfire, you will die of hunger. A total of 73 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli air strike on Beit Lahia on Saturday, Gaza’s civil defence agency said.

Reports today said that Israel had targeted an ambulance which had been on its way to a hospital following airstrikes on Jabalia.

Palestinians mourn their relative who were killed by an Israeli air strike in Jabalia as they were transported to hospital. Alamy Alamy

The Israeli military said its operations over the weekend killed four Hamas fighters.

Martin has today called on the Israeli military’s actions in northern Gaza to stop and condemned attacks on hospitals and areas where people are seeking refuge.

“The Israeli authorities are still preventing humanitarian aid from reaching these areas. Medicine and food are in critically short supply. Some 1.8m Gazans are facing extremely critical levels of hunger. This cannot be allowed to continue,” he said.

“Israel must fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law. This devastating violence must be brought to an end.”

Last week, the Tánaiste and Taoiseach Simon Harris accused the Israeli government of committing “war crimes” in the city of Jabilia as humanitarian aid shipments had been blocked.

Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have fled the assault on northern Gaza, and according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees around 400,000 people were trapped in northern Gaza last week.

The UN has warned of the risk of famine in Gaza due to the lack of humanitarian aid entering the region. It is not the first time in this conflict that the organisation has grown more concerned over reports that aid is not entering the country.

Contains reporting from © AFP 2024