GAZA: UN agency leaders saying “enough is enough” demanded a humanitarian ceasefire on Monday nearly a month into Gaza’s war, as health authorities in the enclave said the death toll from Israeli strikes now exceeded 10,000.
Israel has rebuffed mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, saying hostages taken by Hamas fighters during their rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7 should be released first.
“An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable,” the UN chiefs said in a joint statement.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now.”
The 18 signatories include the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and UN aid chief Martin Griffiths.
The reported number of fatalities in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7 has now surpassed 10,000, with the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled enclave saying at least 10,022 Palestinians were killed including 4,104 children.
A Reuters journalist in Gaza said an overnight bombardment by air, ground and sea was one of the most intense since Israel began its offensive following the Oct. 7 attack in which Hamas killed 1,400 people and seized more than 240 hostages.
Israel, which says its forces have encircled Gaza City, faces mounting pressure over civilian casualties. A US diplomatic push in the region is intended to reduce risks of the conflict escalating.
The health ministry in Gaza said dozens of people were killed by the Israeli air strikes in Gaza City and further south in Gaza neighbourhoods such as Zawaida and Deir Al-Balah. Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV quoted medical sources as saying at least 75 Palestinians were killed and 106 hurt in the attacks.
Palestinian health officials said eight people were killed in an air strike overnight on Gaza City’s Rantissi cancer hospital. Israel’s military said it was looking into the report.
The Israeli army said its strikes hit “tunnels, terrorists, military compounds, observation posts, and anti-tank missile launch posts”. Ground troops killed several Hamas fighters while taking a compound containing observation posts, training areas and underground tunnels, it said.
Gaza border officials said the Rafah crossing has resumed operations to allow foreign passport holders and critically wounded Palestinians into Egypt. Hundreds of foreign nationals and wounded were allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt last week but no such exits have been reported since Nov. 3. -Agencies
