Palestine decries genocide in Gaza as death toll surpasses 38,000

By ESTHER ALEXANDER, Abuja –

The Palestine Embassy in Nigeria has condemned in strong terms the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has resulted in the death of over 38,000 Palestinians.

In a statement released yesterday, the embassy decried the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has left 87,903 injured and 9,510 detained, including women and children.

While noting that the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has entered its 279th day, the embassy also drew attention to the acute food insecurity faced by 96% of Gaza’s population, with women being the most affected.

It said: “In Gaza “96% of the population are facing acute food insecurity at crisis level or higher with almost half a million people in catastrophic conditions. at least 557,000 women in Gaza are facing severe food insecurity and the situation remains concerning for mothers and adult women, who often prioritize feeding others and report greater difficultly in accessing food compared to men.”

“In addition to enforcing famine, Israel is systematically targeting various water sources and desalination plants in Gaza as another genocidal weapon against the 2.3 million civilians there. The occupation army destroyed 9 out of 10 main water tanks and half of the water networks.

“This led to a reduction in the per capita share of water in the Gaza Strip from 84.6 liters to between 3 and 15 liters per day. To add insult to injury, all six sewage treatment plants broke down, resulting in a daily discharge of 130,000 cubic meters of sewage being dumped onto roads and between temporary shelters for displaced people.

The Israeli army’s targeting of media correspondents, resulting in the death of 152 journalists and the arrest of 100 others, was also condemned by the embassy.

“As of Sunday July 7th the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate announced that 152 media correspondents have been martyred and 100 journalists have been arrested, 52 of them still in detention.

“Hundreds of Gazans journalist family members killed as a result of the Israeli continuance bombardments. 86 press and media institutions was closed through the Palestinian territories”, it said..

The embassy, however, called on the international community to take immediate action to stop the genocide in Gaza and to support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and freedom.

“The world cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed in Gaza,” the statement read. “It’s time for action.”

The embassy’s statement comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with aid agencies struggling to reach affected areas.