WHAT THE WORLD has been witnessing in the Middle East over the last number of days is horrific. Millions of innocent civilians, including children, are suffering from the heartbreaking events in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank, which is getting less focus.
The news of the bombing of a Gaza hospital, Al Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital, with at least 500 Palestinians killed so far has escalated this human toll to a level that is unconscionable. It is an egregious violation of international humanitarian law.
Many of those killed are children, and multiple more injured. Hospitals in Gaza are seen as a place of safety and refuge for many civilians seeking shelter during continuous bombardment. This compounds the already dire humanitarian situation facing so many Gazans – where can they go to be safe? Civilians must be protected under humanitarian law – they are not a target. The attacks committed on Israeli civilians were also appalling. Lives have been torn apart, never to repair.
In Gaza, Israel as an occupying power has been disproportionately responding by killing civilians and attacking essential infrastructure. The consequences have been deadly and brutal. The reality is Gaza is on the abyss. It is a small, densely populated area that was already under a protracted humanitarian crisis due to the siege imposed.
Israeli forces are readying for the next stages of the war, including combined and coordinated strikes from air, sea and land in response to the attack by Hamas on 7 October. And the consequences will be catastrophic. The human suffering is now unimaginable and follows the order by the Israeli army for 1.1 million people in the north of Gaza to evacuate within 24 hours. This mass movement of people is impossible to carry out without devastating humanitarian consequences. The forced displacement of more than one million people is also a grave breach of international law.
With Gaza now cut off from food, electricity, water and fuel, there is a rapidly rising humanitarian crisis affecting the lives of over two million people, half of whom are children. And it is unclear how or when it will all end.
The human cost is staggering. There are 50,000 women in Gaza estimated to be pregnant who face delivering their babies at home, with no medical care and with the backdrop of shelling around them.
Last Thursday, the electricity was cut to Gaza. This constitutes collective punishment and such actions have been referenced by UN spokespeople as a war crime. Sadly, it will be those already in vulnerable situations, pregnant women, the sick, the elderly and the disabled who will suffer first and worst. Cutting electricity means turning off incubators in neonatal units, it means switching off life support machines and other lifesaving medical devices.
Other essential services cut since last week include water and sanitation, and food is running out. Our brave and committed colleagues on the ground in Gaza are describing the situation as “dire and miserable”.
They have told us the story of Rasam, who is nine months pregnant with her first baby. This should be a happy and exciting time for her and her family. However, Razam is one of 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza right now unable to access any medical treatment. She is alone, and will likely have to deliver the baby herself, with the backdrop of shelling around her.
Her mother, Amal, who has fled her home, is worried if her daughter and grandchild will survive the birth. She told us: “I do not know what can I do as her husband is fulfilling his medical duty in Gaza hospitals under this difficult situation. I cannot reach her, and she cannot move to hospital under this constant attack and overcrowding of hospitals. I only need to be next to her… this is her first baby. I cannot imagine how she can bear the severe pains of labour alone”. A harrowing situation for any mother and grandmother.
Families in Gaza living under the blockade are still recovering from previous offensives that destroyed homes, infrastructure and livelihoods. Remember, the children of Gaza have never known a life without the blockade or experienced a normal childhood.
ActionAid is on the ground right now in Gaza. Even in the appalling circumstances, our local partners, such as Al Awda hospital, have continued to provide services whilst others are supporting the thousands displaced in shelters. Following orders to evacuate by Israel, our understanding and fear is that this hospital could also be bombed after the deadline expired.
We’re also preparing to bring in aid through the much called for humanitarian corridor, should that be opened. When it’s safe to do so, and once the fighting stops, we need to be ready to support our partners to respond immediately to its impact, to the thousands who are without food, water or shelter and to support the protection of women and girls. We know this is going to be a long crisis and at one stage we will be able to work to support people to recover, to rebuild their lives and to deal with the trauma they have been through.
It is vital that international law is upheld, and there is an immediate end to the fighting and a humanitarian corridor to ensure food, water and vital medical supplies reach civilians in need.
Unless there is immediate action, violence will continue to escalate and women, children and the sick and elderly will suffer most. Their lives must be protected.
World leaders need to do much more. Ireland has been a welcome voice calling for respect for international law. There has been less cause for hope from other European actors and world leaders. A just resolution to the issues that led to the escalation of violence, notably the blockade of Gaza and the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, is needed.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: “Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity.” The importance of these words is profound. Let’s not forget the devastating human toll of this conflict. Humanity can and must do better.
Karol Balfe is CEO of ActionAid Ireland. ActionAid has been working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) for many years supporting Palestinian people living without access to basic services. For further information about their Gaza appeal see www.actionaid.ie.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say