By ESTHER ALEXANDER, Abuja-
The Palestinian authority said the Gaza Strip has been ravaged by 419 days of relentless attacks, resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives. As of November 27, the death toll has risen to 44,249 Palestinians, with a staggering 104,746 injured, mostly women and children.
A statement issued by the Palestine Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, said investigations revealed that Israeli troops have been using Palestinian civilians as human shields, forcing them to conduct life-threatening reconnaissance missions and entering buildings.
Abu Shawesh said: “An investigation by The New York Times found that Israeli soldiers and intelligence agents, throughout the war in Gaza, have regularly forced captured Palestinians …. to conduct life-threatening reconnaissance missions to avoid putting Israeli soldiers at risk on the battlefield.”
“In this connection the CNN report stressed “But one day this spring, the soldier said an intelligence officer showed up with two Palestinian detainees – a 16-year-old boy and 20-year-old man – and told the troops to use them as human shields before entering buildings.”
This according to him, is a clear violation of international law and a war crime.
He added that the situation in Gaza is “Hell” and one of the worst and most difficult situations in the world…
According to him, 84% of the health facilities in Gaza are out of service and have been completely destroyed, while the remaining percentage is partially functioning. This act of collective punishment is being practiced in Gaza.”
“In Gaza, 79% of the Gaza Strip is under Israeli evacuation orders, as of 17 November 2024, 90% of the population are internally displaced, with more than 415,000 displaced people seeking shelter in over 100 UNRWA school buildings. Some individuals have been displaced up to 10 times and 247 UNRWA staff have been killed.
“More than a million children in the Gaza Strip are caught in a devastating situation marked by widespread destruction, relentless attacks, displacement, and severe shortages of essential necessities such as food, water, and medicine.”
“The intentional Israeli strikes destroyed more than 188 archaeological and historical sites in Gaza, including Churches and mosques. Additionally, they deliberately targeted many museums that contain numerous artifacts.
The ambassador said the international community must act to stop this humanitarian crisis and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
