Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-01-27 11:48:20
The Gaza city of Khan Yunis continues to be the main location of intense fighting between the Israeli army and the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas. The fighting persisted the day after the United Nations’ International Court of Justice ruled that Israel should prevent potential acts of genocide during the conflict. However, the court did not specifically call for a ceasefire. Tensions arose between Israel and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, after Israel accused several UNRWA staff members of being involved in Hamas attacks, leading key donor countries to suspend funding.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, stated that Israel aims to ensure that the UN agency is not involved in the aftermath of what has become the bloodiest Gaza war. The situation in Khan Yunis has become increasingly dire, with the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory reporting that 135 people have been killed “due to massacres throughout the night”. The harsh weather conditions have also worsened the situation for the displaced population across the strip, leading to concerns about the spread of contagious diseases.
The UN’s top court’s ruling stated that Israel must prevent genocide in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the area. However, the ruling was rejected by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Gaza’s Hamas rulers hailed the decision as a move that “exposes Israel’s crimes in Gaza”.
The ongoing military campaign is a result of Hamas attacks on October 7, which killed about 1,140 people in Israel, with most of the victims being civilians. The conflict has taken a heavy toll on civilians with the Israeli military offensive killing at least 26,257 people, with 70% being women and children. Furthermore, the UN stated that the healthcare system in Gaza has collapsed. Medical facilities in Khan Yunis have been targeted, making it even more difficult for wounded civilians to access medical care.
Tensions between Israel and UNRWA have escalated. The agency has dismissed several employees accused by Israel of being involved in the October attacks, leading the United States, Canada, Australia, and Italy to suspend funding to the agency. Efforts to seek a ceasefire have continued with diplomatic discussions and a planned meeting of the UN Security Council to address the ICJ’s ruling.
