In a recent statement, Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz announced that no basic resources, including electricity, fuel, and humanitarian aid, will be permitted into the besieged Gaza Strip until Hamas releases all Israeli captives. The minister’s remarks have raised concerns about the dire living conditions faced by the residents of Gaza, as the ongoing Israeli bombardment has caused significant destruction and resulted in severe shortages of water, fuel, and medical supplies.
According to the United Nations’ humanitarian office, the Israeli airstrikes have already demolished approximately 1,000 homes since Saturday, leaving many Gazans without shelter. An additional 560 housing units have been severely damaged and deemed uninhabitable, while over 12,600 homes have suffered various degrees of damage due to the attacks.
The lack of essential resources has also had a detrimental impact on the healthcare system in Gaza. The UN reports that all 13 hospitals in the territory are only partially operational due to critical shortages of fuel and vital medical supplies. Furthermore, the tightening of Israel’s siege on the strip has led to dire water shortages for more than 650,000 people out of the total population of 2.3 million. The destruction of sewage systems has exacerbated the situation, posing a significant health hazard as fetid wastewater flows through the streets.
Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, has denied allegations that its fighters deliberately targeted civilians during the recent attack in Israel, which resulted in hundreds of casualties. Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that there is no evidence to support claims of Hamas inflicting harm on civilians, including women and children.
Moreover, the White House recently retracted a statement made by US President Joe Biden, who claimed to have seen pictures of Hamas fighters beheading children in southern Israel. The retraction has added to the complexity of the situation, fuelling further debates and discussions.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany will temporarily suspend all development aid to the occupied Palestinian territories. This move comes as part of a review process aimed at ensuring that the aid serves regional peace and Israel’s security. Scholz emphasised that the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip is likely to increase, but he attributed the responsibility for this to Hamas and its attacks on Israel.
