GAZA: The Gaza health ministry under Hamas reported on Friday that at least 142 more Palestinians were killed in Israel’s relentless ground and air offensive in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of casualties to 24,762 since October 7 of the previous year. Most of them are women and children, data of the health ministry shows.
The Gaza health ministry said that 62,108 innocent Palestinians have been wounded since the outbreak of the conflict.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on Palestine, said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais that Israel is “very likely” committing genocide in Gaza.
Citing a death toll, the use of prohibited weapons, inadequate healthcare resources, a humanitarian crisis, and the displacement of 1.9 million people, she described the attacks as “the monstrosity of our century.” Albanese emphasized the unprecedented nature of these figures compared to other contemporary conflicts, such as the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and civilian deaths in Ukraine.
The UN expert expressed support for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), believing it could succeed despite political pressure. She challenged the narrative of Israel acting in self-defense, contending that its actions surpass the “limited and technical” concept of self-defense in international law. Albanese argued that Israel’s use of “one-ton” bombs in densely populated areas, cutting off essential resources, and violating the principles of proportionality go beyond the bounds of self-defense.
Pointing to genocidal intent in the language used by Israeli leaders, such as referring to Palestinians as “human animals,” Albanese criticized the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, rendering the Gaza Strip uninhabitable, and causing the loss of entire families, doctors, and journalists.
She called for high-level diplomatic, political, and economic measures in response to these actions.
Since assuming her role as UN special rapporteur in May 2022, Israel has not granted permission for Albanese to visit Israel or Palestine, a situation consistent with the experiences of her predecessors Michael Lynk and Richard Falk.
According to the UN figures, 1.9 million people in Gaza, or nearly 85 percent of the population, are estimated to be internally displaced by the end of 2023.
The figures include Palestinian people who have been displaced multiple times, as families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety.
The Israeli raids have almost destroyed entire neighborhoods in northern Gaza. Israeli ground troops have been facing heavy resistance from Hamas fighters in the area.
