’Israel seeks to depopulate northern Gaza’
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Israel is attempting to depopulate the northern Gaza Strip by intensifying its attacks and escalating famine.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemns in the strongest terms the war of genocide that Israel is carrying out against our people in the Gaza Strip for the 152nd day,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The ministry confirms that more than 500,000 people live in northern Gaza under the most horrific acts of genocide: constant bombardment, deepening famine, and creating strife and chaos.”
An aid mission to two hospitals in northern Gaza found horrifying scenes of children dying of starvation, amid dire shortages of food, fuel and medicines, the World Health Organization said.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday the agency’s visits over the weekend to the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals “were the first since early October 2023 despite our efforts to gain more regular access to the north of Gaza”.
The findings were “grim”, he said on X, adding that “the situation at Al-Awda was particularly appalling, as one of the buildings is destroyed”.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry’s statement came as negotiations are underway to establish a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas resistance group in Gaza.
Jihad Taha, a Hamas spokesperson, said the negotiations were ongoing but “the ball is in the Israeli court”.
He said Israel had thus far refused Hamas’ demands for people who fled northern Gaza to be allowed to return and for guarantees of a long-term cease-fire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
“Hamas is open to proposals and initiatives that are consistent with its position calling for a cease-fire, withdrawal, the return of the displaced, the entry of relief convoys and reconstruction,” Taha said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected Hamas’ demands and repeatedly vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and all the captives are returned.