The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continue to occupy and close the Gaza crossings, preventing the wounded and sick from travelling for treatment or allowing the entry of any humanitarian aid into the Strip for the 19th day in a row.
The crossings have been closed since the Israeli invasion of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and controlling the Rafah land and Kerem Shalom crossings, despite warnings and calls from humanitarian and relief organisations to reopen these crossings, which are considered a “lifeline” to avoid famine and to save the lives of thousands of sick and wounded people.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned of the catastrophic situation suffered by Gaza’s children due to the closure of the crossings through which aid passes, as well as the intensified Israeli military operations in the Strip.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that the children of Gaza are still paying a catastrophic price due to closed aid routes, intensified military operations, and fighting inside and outside Rafah, south of the Strip, which led to the paralysis of the only children’s hospital in northern Gaza “Kamal Adwan”, capable of providing nutrition services.
The head of the government media office in Gaza, Salama Marouf, stressed that closing the crossings heralds a new humanitarian catastrophe, the loss of the lives of hundreds of sick and wounded people, an exacerbation of the food security crisis and the spreading of famine throughout the entire Strip.
The closure of the crossings coincides with the occupation’s escalated aggression on Rafah, Central, Gaza, and the North, and even the Al-Mawasi area, to which citizens are forced to migrate, claiming that it is a safe place, despite being targeted.
On Friday, the President of the International Court of Justice, Nawaf Salam, ordered the Israeli occupation to stop its military operations and all actions that impact the living conditions and could lead to the annihilation of Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
The president of the court explained that the decision obliges the occupation to keep the Rafah crossing open to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, and to submit a report to the court within a month on the steps it will take.
The court’s order is binding on all members of the United Nations, including the Israeli occupation.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has started a barbaric war on the Gaza Strip, leaving tens of thousands of dead, wounded and missing, most of whom are children and women.
