The United Nations has issued a dire warning that Israeli military actions in northern Gaza could endanger the entire population if the assault continues. As Israel intensifies its campaign in the region, human rights experts and international officials are raising alarms about potential crimes against humanity. A UN relief official, Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has called for an immediate end to the assault, which has destroyed essential infrastructure and disrupted critical humanitarian aid.
“What Israeli forces are doing in besieged North Gaza cannot be allowed to continue,” Msuya stated, highlighting the devastation that has affected civilians, particularly vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and medical personnel. The situation in North Gaza, where supplies of food, water, and medical aid are severely restricted, threatens to spiral into a catastrophic humanitarian disaster.
Israel’s military has launched an all-out assault on northern Gaza, with ongoing attacks that have damaged hospitals, schools, and shelters. According to Msuya, hundreds of Palestinians have died, and tens of thousands have been forced to flee once again, adding to Gaza’s already substantial population of displaced individuals. Estimates suggest that around 640 people have been killed since early October, as a result of escalating violence in the northern areas.
The region’s population faces life-threatening conditions due to a lack of access to medical facilities and aid. Essential supplies cannot reach those in need due to blockades and restrictions imposed by Israeli forces, forcing countless families into increasingly desperate situations. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, described the situation as one of the “darkest moments” of the ongoing conflict, warning that Israel’s approach risks clearing out the entire northern area of Palestinian inhabitants.
Israel’s assault has targeted critical healthcare facilities, including Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. Known as a medical lifeline for Gaza’s northern residents, the hospital was surrounded by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) who reportedly blocked access to patients, detained medical workers, and, according to witnesses, fired on the hospital itself. Tareq Abu Azzoum, an Al Jazeera correspondent, noted, “Kamal Adwan Hospital is considered a medical lifeline for the two-thirds of Palestinians in northern Gaza.”
Hospital director Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya described the situation in a video, expressing the frustration and helplessness of healthcare providers: “Instead of receiving aid, we are receiving tanks.” According to Dr. Safiya, Israeli forces detained 44 members of the hospital staff, later releasing only 14. Medics and hospital staff stated that IDF soldiers destroyed essential medications before leaving, preventing them from providing care to wounded and critically ill patients. “It is a catastrophic situation as patients and the wounded are left on the floor without any medical attention,” said hospital spokesperson Hisham Sakani, adding, “We are facing grave dangers, and here I am once again sending an SOS to the whole world.”
Officials like Msuya and Türk have characterized Israel’s operations as potential crimes against humanity, with Msuya emphasizing the fatal impact on civilians trapped in conflict zones without access to humanitarian aid. “Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop,” Msuya said.
The situation in Gaza has drawn scrutiny from human rights bodies worldwide. The Israeli government’s policies in northern Gaza, according to Türk, risk “emptying the area of all Palestinians” through the forced displacement and destruction of homes, livelihoods, and essential infrastructure. Human rights advocates and legal experts have stated that Israel’s actions could meet the legal definitions of atrocity crimes, possibly extending to crimes against humanity or genocide. The International Court of Justice continues to evaluate South Africa’s case against Israel, which accuses the state of genocide against Gaza’s Palestinian population.
The humanitarian crisis unfolding in northern Gaza is particularly dire for families, many of whom have been forcibly separated. Reports indicate that IDF soldiers have loaded men and boys onto trucks, leaving families broken and without information on the whereabouts of their loved ones. Msuya described families’ struggles amid the violence, noting, “Families have been separated, and men and boys are being taken away by the truckload.”
Children, who make up a substantial portion of Gaza’s population, are especially vulnerable to the harsh conditions imposed by the conflict. Human rights advocates have voiced concerns that the lack of educational facilities, medical care, and basic safety measures is pushing the region’s future generations into severe distress and psychological trauma.
As conditions worsen organizations like the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), have called for immediate intervention to prevent further loss of life. The IMEU has specifically urged the United States to implement an arms embargo on Israel to prevent ongoing and future violence against civilians. “The Biden-Harris administration must stop the flow of U.S. weapons to Israel, which constitutes a necessary step to halting Israel’s ongoing war crimes,” IMEU stated, emphasizing the urgent need for political and humanitarian action.
Humanitarian organizations continue to appeal for unrestricted access to Gaza for emergency personnel, food, and medical supplies. Without such access, they warn, civilian casualties will rise exponentially, and the region will face even greater long-term impacts from the ongoing devastation.
Experts fear that the situation in Gaza reflects a broader trend toward increasingly authoritarian tactics by states engaged in prolonged conflicts. Observers have likened Israel’s strategies to those used by other authoritarian governments to centralize control, marginalize populations, and suppress dissent.
Dr. Mads Gilbert, a humanitarian doctor with extensive experience in Gaza and Lebanon, criticized Western nations for their silence. “Almost 250,000 people in the northern part of Gaza have now no healthcare, and that in itself is part of the genocide,” Gilbert told Al Jazeera. His remarks highlight the perceived inaction of influential countries that continue to supply military support to Israel despite widespread condemnation of its actions.
As calls for accountability grow, the international community must grapple with the implications of unchecked aggression and the potential erosion of humanitarian norms. The continued support for Israel’s campaign by powerful nations not only raises ethical concerns but also undermines global efforts to enforce international law.
As Msuya put it: “The entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying… Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop.”
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