THE director general of Gaza’s Government Media Office, Ismail al-Thawabta, yesterday demanded that Israel opens the crossings and allow aid in ‘immediately’, warning of acute water and food scarcity.
Israel is limiting the number of aid trucks allowed to enter Gaza, telling the UN yesterday that it will only permit 300 trucks – half the minimum number agreed under the Trump plan.
The Gaza Rights Centre (GRC) said: ‘Over the past few days, only 173 aid trucks were allowed into the Gaza Strip, far fewer than the 1,800 trucks that were scheduled to enter.’
The GRC also said that since the ceasefire took effect last Friday, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have committed 36 violations, resulting in death of seven civilians and injuries to several others in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Wednesday, GRC explained that its field team had documented 36 Israeli aerial, artillery and shooting attacks since the ceasefire came into force at 12pm last Friday.
GRC also said that ‘all these Israeli attacks were carried out with no justification and or military necessity, reflecting the Israeli army’s attempt to maintain a state of panic and anxiety and perpetuate a cycle of killing and bombardment under various pretexts.’
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has made it a top priority to return 140,000 students in the Gaza Strip to their classrooms after being deprived of education due to Israel’s ongoing genocide against the enclave.
Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA’s media adviser, said the agency is focusing on restoring education for children who have missed years of schooling because of the war. ‘There are children aged 10 who cannot read or write,’ he said, noting that more than one million children live in the devastated enclave, and ‘nothing has changed in their conditions so far’.
Statistics show that Israel’s genocidal war deprived more than 70,000 students born in 2006 and 2007 from taking their high school exams. Around 4,000 students were killed, while another 4,000 managed to take exams abroad over the past two years.
On humanitarian aid, Abu Hasna said that the agency has around 6,000 trucks loaded with food supplies sufficient for three months, along with hundreds of thousands of tents and blankets. However, Israel continues to block their entry into Gaza.
‘UNRWA is fully ready to distribute aid immediately once it is allowed in,’ he said, stressing that the agency has 12,000 employees in Gaza, in addition to thousands of temporary workers and volunteers with over seven decades of experience in relief operations.
NO VICTIMISATION OF NHS WORKERS
Over 200 people joined a protest outside Parliament yesterday in support of Dr Rahmeh Aladwan and others who have been victimised for opposing genocide in Gaza.
Called by Healthcare Workers Against Censorship, the protest was addressed by several medics who have been victimised in similar ways.
The crowd chanted: ‘Healthcare workers saving lives, Israel kills them based on lies!,’ ‘UK government pick a side, justice or genocide!’ and ‘Wes Streeting you can’t hide, this is your genocide!’
Dr James, an A&E doctor, spoke to the crowd. He said: ‘I was suspended on dubious grounds. I think it had something to do with the fact I was wearing a pro-Palestine lanyard. The Zionist war machine kills with licences granted by the US and UK.
‘Genocide doesn’t just happen overnight, it has to be enabled. Healthcare workers have a human and professional obligation to speak out.
‘The Zionist lobby are active. We are harassed at work, in public and on-line. That means we have touched a nerve and Wes Streeting wants to interfere with professional regulation. Israel is an extension of imperialist endeavours in South West Asia and beyond.’
Dr Asim Qureshi said: ‘Every single person has to respond to this genocidal situation and the targeting of healthcare workers. We have a moral and legal right to speak up on these issues’.
Dr Nadeem Crane said: ‘On August 14th ward round at the Royal Free Hospital, I was called in and suspended with immediate effect. The reasons were very vague, apparently I had upset somebody. I had referred to IDF rape on my social media account.
‘I love my job. If we were at risk of bringing people to harm, we wouldn’t be doing this job. This starts with the government. Toxicity flows from the top down.’
Dr Ellen Kriesels, a paediatrician, spoke to News Line, saying: ‘I am in a similar position to Dr Rahmeh, being investigated by the GMC, and I work in the same Trust as well. I have been excluded (suspended) from my work because I speak up against genocide.
‘This is also about free speech and human rights. We should be able to say what we want, as long as we don’t incite. As doctors we respect the sanctity of life.’
Jordan McLaughlin, part of Dr Rahmeh Aladwan’s campaign, said: ‘It’s an absolute travesty what’s happening to Rahmeh and other doctors. They are clearly targeting healthcare workers. We all have a duty to expose the Gaza holocaust, it’s
disgusting.’