An extension of Israel’s military operation in Rafah, where over
a million internally displaced Palestinians have been forced to
shelter, will have “dire humanitarian consequences”, the UN
Senior Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza said on Monday.
Sigrid Kaag reiterated Secretary-General António
Guterres’s concern that such an operation at present time
would be potentially disastrous for innocent civilians.
“There are more than a million people crammed in Rafah. It's not
intended for a million people in shelters, in random sort of
plastic sheeted constructions. Health conditions are very
worrisome,” she told correspondents in Brussels after briefing
European Union foreign ministers.
She also voiced deep concern over getting aid into the Gaza Strip
and distributing it to those in need.
“We have to acknowledge the fact that the security conditions,
separate from military operations, due to what is called
self-distribution by desperate civilians, but also looting and
criminalization, is hampering efforts by the humanitarian
community…to deliver assistance to the people that actually need
it,” she said.
Continued hostilities
Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continues
across much of the war-torn enclave, according to the UN Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), resulting in further
civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian
infrastructure.
Widespread ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli
forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported,
especially in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, OCHA said in
a flash update on Monday.
Between 17 and 19 February, dozens of rockets were also
reportedly fired by armed Palestinians toward Israel, it added.
Nasser hospital evacuations
Furthermore, the Israeli military operation in the Nasser
Hospital complex in Khan Younis have continued, OCHA said, noting
that on Sunday, the UN and the Palestine Red Crescent Society
evacuated 14 patients. Negotiations are ongoing for the
evacuation of the remaining patients.
According to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), over 180 patients and
15 doctors and nurses remain inside the hospital.
“The hospital is still experiencing an acute shortage of food,
basic medical supplies, and oxygen. There is no tap water and no
electricity, except a backup generator maintaining some
lifesaving machines,” WHO said.
West Bank violence
OCHA also reported further violent incidents in the West Bank
over the weekend, claiming both Israeli and Palestinian lives.
On 16 February, two Israeli men were shot and killed in southern
Israel, and four others including a child were injured, by a
Palestinian man from Shu’fat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. The
Palestinian man was then shot and killed by an armed Israeli
civilian.
On Sunday, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian men in Tulkarm
Refugee camp, during an exchange of fire with a Palestinian man
whose body was later withheld by Israeli forces from being handed
over.
The second fatality was an unarmed Palestinian who was reportedly
killed by an Israeli army sniper while standing on the rooftop of
his house, OCHA said.
Between 7 October 2023 and 18 February, 393 Palestinians have
been killed, including 100 children, and 4,511 Palestinians,
including 699 children, have been injured in conflict-related
incidents across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and
Israel.
During the same period, 12 Israelis, including four members of
Israeli forces, were killed and 80 injured in conflict-related
incidents in the same areas, according to OCHA.
World court asked for legal opinion
Meanwhile, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding
a hearing concerning an
advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from
the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, including East Jerusalem.
The advisory, non-binding, opinion on the occupation was
requested by the General Assembly in December 2022.
The hearings will be held from 19 to 26 February, with over 50
countries, groups and the State of Palestine scheduled to speak.
