The humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is of unprecedented scale, and the resumption of bombings is only condemning thousands more civilians to death. While over 15,000 people have already been killed, the 2.3 million inhabitants of the enclave are threatened by military operations, as well as by the total collapse of the health system, famine, the consumption of contaminated water, and the spread of contagious diseases.
For several weeks, the humanitarian community has been warning that respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) is not compatible with the continuation of hostilities in Gaza. Médecins du Monde is appalled to witness the resumption of fighting while the situation on the ground has never been so desperate. No military objective can justify the scale of the devastation the entire world is witnessing today. Respect for human life and IHL must take precedence over any other political interest. We demand a ceasefire.
The population lacks everything
“This situation is unbearable! 2.3 million lives are at risk.”
The 7-day truce, from October 24 to December 1, barely allowed humanitarian actors to begin responding to the population’s colossal needs and to assess the enormous extent of the damage to civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals. But since the resumption of fighting, our teams can no longer work. More than one in three hospitals is no longer functioning, and the others are barely operational. Health facilities continue to be severely affected by shortages of medicines and medical equipment. “We are extremely concerned for our teams. Like the rest of the population, they are once again in a state of survival and lack everything: shelter, food, water. Due to the lack of fuel, most water production facilities have remained closed, and people continue to drink contaminated water, fostering the emergence of epidemics such as gastroenteritis.”, warns Helena Ranchal, Director of International Operations at Médecins du Monde.
With a significant increase in cases of diarrhea, acute respiratory and skin infections, and the emergence of epidemics, particularly hepatitis A, the most vulnerable—children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who have just given birth, and persons with disabilities—are particularly at risk. “This situation is unbearable! 2.3 million lives are at risk. This could and should be avoided in a simple way: by implementing a permanent ceasefire.”, urges Dr. Jean-François Corty, Vice-President of Médecins du Monde.
No place is safe in Gaza
Médecins du Monde also condemns the Israeli military’s issuance of evacuation orders in Khan Younis. Since the start of hostilities, these orders have never aimed to provide protection for the civilian population, as there is no safe place for civilians to take refuge. Hospitals were forced to evacuate under unacceptable conditions, resulting in patient deaths. The online publication of evacuation zone maps for Gaza’s residents by the Israeli army cannot be considered an effort to protect civilians. Given the population’s limited internet access due to telecommunications outages, this map only increases confusion and panic.
1.8 million people remain displaced, and others leave their shelters every day. Forcing the civilian population to relocate to increasingly restricted areas where security, shelter, nutrition, and hygiene conditions are not met is physically impossible and entirely unsustainable from a humanitarian perspective. This is simply not in compliance with IHL and could therefore constitute a serious violation of it.