Israel continues to bomb indiscriminately in the Gaza Strip killing innocent civilians, 70 per cent of whom are women and children, despite demands from the international community for a ceasefire to stop Palestinian bloodshed. The UN has officially added Israel to its list of countries committing violations against children during armed conflicts.
The decision comes amidst ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza, where more than 15,500 children have been killed. Since October, Israeli forces initiated a massive bombardment, releasing over 70,000 tonnes of bombs on Gaza, the world’s most densely populated enclave, surpassing the combined impact of the Dresden, Hamburg, and London bombings during World War II.
The outcome has been devastating more than 37,000 Palestinian lives lost, 85,000 injured and traumatised, with over 70 percent of casualties affecting vulnerable women and children. Rights groups have strongly condemned the toll of Israel’s actions on Palestinian children, with thousands reported critically injured. The dire situation in Gaza has been exacerbated by restrictions on essential supplies, leading to a humanitarian crisis.
In addition, the UN Independent International Commission report, delivered at the Human Rights Council’s session on June 19 in Geneva, said that the significant civilian casualties and extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza resulted “from a deliberate strategy aimed at causing maximum damage, ignoring principles of distinction, proportionality, and adequate precautions.”
Israeli authorities are responsible for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed during the military operations and attacks in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the UN-backed commission said in a report released on June 12.
Despite overwhelming evidence of Israel’s brutalities and flagrant disregard for International Humanitarian Law, the Western powers, including the UK, callously turned a blind eye to the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to halt Palestinian bloodshed.
Our government justifies Israel’s collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza, half of whom are under 18, as “self-defence,” while the opposition Labour Party only mustered the courage to call for a ceasefire, after the killing of over 30,000 Palestinians. However,
both the government and Labour opposition refuse an arms embargo against Israel.
It’s painfully evident that Palestinian lives hold far less worth than Israeli ones by our government Labour Party and other Western powers.
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