In Spite of Ceasefire Israel Kills 8 People Daily

Despite a month having passed since the ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip, Israel continues to commit genocide against Palestinian civilians through various means. It maintains conditions that devastate the lives of more than two million Palestinians and prevent any recovery from over 25 months of humanitarian catastrophe, in the midst of persistent international silence and failure to ensure protection and accountability.

Over the past four weeks, Euro-Med Monitor has documented the continued premeditated killing of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army. An average of eight Palestinians are killed daily under the ongoing comprehensive blockade on the Gaza Strip, alongside a policy of deliberate starvation, deprivation of basic means of survival, obstruction of reconstruction, restrictions on movement, denial of medical treatment for the wounded and sick, and the deliberate hindrance of humanitarian aid. This situation represents a continuation of the ongoing crime of genocide against the population of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army continues to violate the ceasefire daily through aerial and artillery bombardment, gunfire, and the ongoing destruction of homes and buildings, particularly in the eastern areas of Khan Yunis and Gaza City. These actions form part of a systematic approach to eroding the foundations of life in the Gaza Strip and denying its residents their most basic rights, in clear violation of international law.

    Israel is exploiting the absence of international oversight to reshape the geographical landscape of Gaza, using the ceasefire as a cover to make areas under its direct military control effectively uninhabitable, both now and in the future   

Since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October, the Israeli army has continued to kill Palestinian civilians, with 242 Palestinians killed, including 85 children, at a rate of more than eight deaths per day, and around 619 others injured, at more than 20 injuries per day. This clearly shows that Israel has not ceased its policy of killing and systematically targeting Palestinians.

In the absence of any effective international monitoring mechanism to enforce the ceasefire, Israel continues to commit violations on the ground by excluding the areas it controls, which make up over 50 per cent of the Gaza Strip, from the scope of the agreement. It has continued to carry out bombing and destruction operations even in the absence of active fighting.

Israel is exploiting the absence of international oversight to reshape the geographical landscape of Gaza, using the ceasefire as a cover to make areas under its direct military control effectively uninhabitable, both now and in the future. Euro-Med Monitor stresses that these actions are not merely violations of the agreement, but in effect transform the truce into a tool for expanding control and inflicting comprehensive, long-term destruction.

Israel continues to administer a deliberate policy of starvation in the Gaza Strip, having blocked the entry of approximately 70 per cent of the aid required under the agreement. It also controls the type of goods allowed in, systematically restricting essential food items such as meat and dairy products while flooding the markets with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor products. This maintains the population in a state of controlled, chronic hunger, without addressing its causes or severe health consequences, and without visibly displaying the acute physical signs of malnutrition.

The World Food Programme stated in a report issued on 7 November that hunger in Gaza has reached devastating levels, noting a 20 per cent increase in child malnutrition rates compared to last year, along with a shortage of routine vaccinations for one in five children due to the collapse of the health system.

Israel continues to close the Rafah crossing and block movement in both directions, restricting the movement of civilians, including the wounded and sick, and hindering the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

These actions are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic pattern indicating a clear policy by the Israeli political and military leadership to use the ceasefire as a cover to continue genocide against Gaza’s residents. By maintaining a disguised military assault and perpetuating killing, starvation, and systematic destruction, Israel exploits the absence of international will to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

Euro-Med Monitor warns of a grave development: the dismantling of the Gaza Strip’s geographical unity, turning it into an isolated and uninhabitable area. This risks entrenching a permanent geographical and demographic division and pushing the population towards forced displacement as the only means of survival.

The continued silence of the international community and the failure to activate accountability mechanisms provide Israel with practical cover to continue committing genocide, albeit at a slower pace, as part of a consistent policy aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in the Gaza Strip.

The international community must take immediate practical steps to ensure genuine protection for Palestinian civilians, secure the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and bring an immediate and comprehensive end to the illegal blockade. All crossings must be opened for the movement of people and goods, including the sick and wounded, under the supervision of the United Nations and its relevant agencies.

Safe, sufficient, and regular access to humanitarian aid must be guaranteed, particularly for essential items such as food, medicine, fuel, and supplies needed to restore health and basic services. It is imperative to prevent Israel from continuing to control the quantity and quality of aid or obstruct its delivery.

Euro-Med Monitor stresses the need to ensure the safe return of all forcibly displaced persons to their homes and original places of residence within the Gaza Strip and rejects any arrangements or projects that would entrench forced displacement or impose isolation zones or so-called “humanitarian zones” as substitutes for their original homes.

The deployment of an effective international mission under the United Nations is required to monitor Israeli conduct, document violations, and provide a protective presence that would help safeguard civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Euro-Med Monitor urges all states to halt the export and import of weapons and military or security equipment to and from Israel, and to suspend any military or security cooperation with it, in fulfilment of their obligation to prevent genocide and avoid contributing to war crimes or crimes against humanity.

All states and regional organisations, particularly states parties to the Genocide Convention, must take effective political, economic, and legal measures, including imposing targeted sanctions and suspending partnership and cooperation agreements with Israel, until it complies with its obligations under international law. States must also support the investigations of the International Criminal Court and implement the relevant orders of the International Court of Justice, while exercising their national jurisdictions to prosecute those involved in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Gaza, and ensure that such individuals are not afforded any safe haven.

Euro-Med Monitor calls for the establishment of an international mechanism for compensation and reconstruction to guarantee redress for civilian victims and the rebuilding of homes, infrastructure, and vital facilities, in a manner that does not restore Israeli control over resources, crossings, or freedom of movement.

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Aid, Urgency and Rebuilding Gaza

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday called for urgent action to rebuild Gaza and increase international support to boost humanitarian assistance.

WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau appealed for an increase in international support to boost humanitarian assistance for millions of people in Gaza as they seek to rebuild their lives.

Saying that WFP has sent in more than 15,000 tons of food since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19, he noted that it is not enough.

“This is a strong step in the right direction but it is not enough,” Skau said in a statement following his two-day visit to Gaza.

“The scale of the needs is enormous and progress must be maintained. The ceasefire must hold. We cannot go back.”

While it is too early to focus on recovery, Skau stated that it is critical that WFP and the entire humanitarian community assist Gazans to become self-sufficient and boost their long-term resilience against hunger.

“The people of Gaza are unique in their strength, resilience and capacity to rebuild,” he said.

He went on to say that international assistance should increasingly be geared towards supporting them in their first steps towards rebuilding their lives which requires funding.

“We call on the international community and all donors to continue supporting WFP’s life-saving assistance at this pivotal momen,” according to Anadolu.

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Jordan Starts Humanitarian Airbridge to Gaza, 16 Flights Daily

The first batch of humanitarian aid, part of an air bridge that the Kingdom dispatched for Gaza earlier on Tuesday, arrived in the Strip later on the day.

The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) on Tuesday announced that the Kingdom launched an eight-day air bridge with 16 flights daily to send assistance to Gaza.

During a conference at the King Abdullah II Air Base of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, JAF Media Director Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hiari said that the air bridge ensures the delivery of critical relief supplies to inaccessible areas, preventing spoilage or damage, according to an army statement.

Hiari highlighted that JAF was the first to execute humanitarian airdrops into Gaza, achieving the third-largest modern logistical supply operation.

To date, JAF has carried out 125 Jordanian airdrops, facilitated 266 airdrops by allied forces, and dispatched 53 aircraft to Gaza through Egypt’s El Arish Airport, he noted.

Hiari stressed that JAF continues humanitarian initiatives through the field hospitals in northern and southern Gaza.

He said that the hospitals have treated more than 370,000 patients since the start of the Israeli war on the besieged Strip on October 7, 2023, and fitted 296 advanced prosthetics under the “Restoring Hope” initiative.

Hiari pointed out that JAF completed infrastructure for a new field hospital specialising in obstetrics and neonatal care, noting that the hospital is staffed with 82 personnel, including 55 from the Royal Medical Services.

Also speaking at the conference, Minister of Government Communication Mohammad Momani said that, under Royal directives, 16 military aircraft carrying relief, food and medical supplies, totalling 20 tonnes, were sent to Gaza via Qarara crossing in central Gaza for distribution in the north and south of the Strip, in coordination with the World Food Programme (WFP).

He added that this initiative is part of Jordan’s ongoing efforts, directed by His Majesty King Abdullah, to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

He also noted that two planes carrying aid from Italy and contributions from Greece and Malaysia are part of the relief effort.

Momani highlighted that Jordan was among the first countries to send aid and break the blockade on Gaza.

The minister added that Jordan’s national security relies on “steadfast support” for Palestinians’ presence on their land and the rejection of Israeli displacement policies.

He underscored that this stance aligns with Jordan’s strategic interests and its unwavering national and humanitarian principles.

Momani reiterated that regional peace can only be achieved by recognising the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state.

Also speaking at the conference, Secretary-General of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) Hussein Shibli pointed out that Jordan had previously dispatched eight similar flights in late November, carrying seven tonnes of aid distributed by the WFP.

Shibli noted that 147 humanitarian convoys, comprising 5,569 trucks carrying around 82,000 tonnes of aid, have been sent to Gaza in cooperation with the JAF.

He stressed JHCO’s commitment to Royal directives, ensuring continued coordination with relevant sides to maintain the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza according to The Jordan Times.

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Devastation in Gaza is Staggering – WFP Official

Describing the level of devastation across the Gaza Strip as “absolutely staggering”, the Head of Emergency Communications for the World Food Programme (WFP) has told UN News in an interview that civilians are desperate for lifesaving aid and there’s a growing risk of widespread famine.

Speaking from Gaza, Jonathan Dumont said many people have been displaced multiple times, and that families are living either in tents or in the rubble of collapsed buildings, with no access to electricity or running water.

The text has been edited for length and clarity.

UN News: How do you describe the situation on the ground in Gaza, after more than a year since the war erupted there?

Jonathan Dumont: The devastation is absolutely staggering. This year, I’ve been to Goma, Port au Prince, Khartoum, a lot of different places where people have issues getting food or have been displaced. But in Gaza, I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t been displaced at least two or three times, due to military activity.

Almost everyone has lost their home. In the south, a lot of people are living in tents, and with the winter coming, you have rain and wind blowing them over, flooding them. Most kids don’t have shoes.

A lot of people feel they have no choice but to go back to their homes, which are quite frequently, literally rubble. I met a few families who are living in basically the cement blocks that have collapsed over them, and there’s no electricity, running water or sewage. This is the second winter for many of them that they’re homeless.

People walk on destroyed buildings in Gaza.

© WFP/Jonathan Dumont

People walk on destroyed buildings in Gaza.

UN News: What is the most striking story you’ve heard from people in Gaza?

Jonathan Dumont: When we were moving to Gaza City, we had to pass a checkpoint, and there were some bodies on a bridge in this sort of no man’s land area, and there were dogs eating the bodies. It was an horrific scene.

Some of our colleagues were tasked to pick up the bodies, and we couldn’t stop, but a bit later we came across two women and some children who were walking south, due to the intense military activity in the north. What struck me the most in that moment was that those children were going to come across the same scene of the dogs eating corpses, and I kept thinking about the impact that it might have on them.

UN News: You’ve been to the northern part of Gaza. Can you tell us more about what you saw there?

Jonathan Dumont: I’ve been to Gaza City, although I didn’t go to the areas in the far north. Gaza City is a huge city but many of the buildings have been destroyed. Before you had villas, beach cabanas and a fishing port, and now it is just a ghost town.

Much of Gaza has been destroyed in the ongoing conflict.

© WFP/Jonathan Dumont

Much of Gaza has been destroyed in the ongoing conflict.

WFP is able to reach that area, so there’s some food there, but the food prices of what’s not coming from the international community, or from WFP, are through the roof. There was someone selling peppers for 195 dollars…five dollars for one pepper. People can’t afford that.

Bakeries are being treated as banks – with metal slots and a metal corridor to channel people through because people are desperate, and they don’t want people to get injured or crushed trying to get food. 

In Khan Yunis, where we are distributing hot meals, people get really desperate – you can see it in their faces, in their eyes.

UN News: The IPC report warned of the acute hunger and maybe some of people are on the verge of famine. Do you think the food insecurity is getting worse in Gaza?

Jonathan Dumont: The problem is that there’s been a total breakdown of society here, there’s no police, no infrastructure or any of the structures of society. As a result, what we’ve had in the southern part of Gaza is that gangs are emerging. We’ve had our trucks coming in from the south looted, and our drivers beaten.

We are trying to find solutions to have a consistent flow of food in. Obviously, the easiest way to do that would be if there was a ceasefire, which we are always hopeful will happen. In the absence of that, we need to find a way of getting all the food that we have outside Gaza into the country so that people can access it. We need to make sure people have access to food.

UN News: Many of the bakeries are not functioning. How many of them are working at full capacity?

Jonathan Dumont: In the south there is none of the WFP’s bakeries which are big volume bakeries. In the north there are some, but in the south, there are just small bakeries, so people are improvising when they have some flour.

Bread is the staple here, bread is life. 

UN News

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