Two leading UN officials warned that the Israeli cabinet’s approval of a new offensive to gain complete military control of Gaza City, home to about one million Palestinians, could trigger “another horrific chapter” of displacement, death, and destruction.
Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, informed ambassadors that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan for defeating Hamas and establishing an alternative civilian administration, distinct from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, posed “yet another dangerous escalation” that could destabilize the region.
Israeli media reports suggest the plan involves displacing all civilians from Gaza City by 7 October, affecting around 800,000 people, many previously displaced. Forces would reportedly surround the city for three months, followed by two more months to take control of central Gaza’s camps and clear the area of Palestinian armed groups.
Jenča stated that implementing these plans would likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, affecting the region and causing more displacement, killings, and destruction, worsening the population’s suffering. He called for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and adherence to international humanitarian law by Israel. He emphasized that there’s no military solution to the conflict, stressing the need to plan for Gaza’s future while addressing current urgent issues, and called for establishing political and security frameworks to ease the humanitarian crisis, initiate recovery and reconstruction efforts, and address the concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians towards a two-State solution.
He emphasized that these frameworks should enable a legitimate Palestinian Government to reunify Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, politically, economically, and administratively. He urged the Palestinian Authority to move forward with its goal of holding elections.
Senior humanitarian affairs official Ramesh Rajasingham reported rising hunger-related deaths before any new mass-displacement policy for Gaza City. He stated that remaining lifelines are collapsing due to ongoing hostilities, forced displacement, and insufficient life-saving aid. With local authorities reporting 98 children dying from severe acute malnutrition since July 1, he declared this situation as starvation, not just a looming hunger crisis. The head of the humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) expressed profound concern over the prolonged conflict and potential for further human toll following Israel’s decision to expand military operations in Gaza, noting the severe escalation in a conflict already causing immense suffering.
Notably, over 500 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since hostilities increased, including at least 167 women. Smear campaigns against aid operations persist. Approaching World Humanitarian Day, the protection of all aid workers is crucial. States must examine their collective conscience and find the courage to end the inhumanity and pain. Civilians must be protected, hostages released unconditionally, and arbitrarily detained Palestinians freed. Israel must agree to and facilitate humanitarian relief operations within Gaza.
The International Court of Justice’s provisional measures in the Genocide Convention case in Gaza remain effective, demanding Israel to take immediate and effective measures to provide urgently needed services and humanitarian assistance.
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