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Israel’s army: “There is enough food in the Gaza Strip”
January 6, 2024, 4:57 a.m
Every day, representatives of aid organizations complain about the catastrophic situation for civilians in the Gaza Strip, and a high-ranking UN representative speaks of it as a “place of death.” Israel, however, emphasizes that the situation has stabilized.
While aid organizations in the Gaza Strip speak of an impending famine, Israel’s army presents the situation differently. “According to our assessment, which is based on our discussions with the UN and other humanitarian organizations, there is enough food in the Gaza Strip,” said Elad Goren from the responsible Cogat authority. “We are also seeing improved access to water and food.”
However, in order for more aid to reach the coastal area sealed off by Israel, the UN and other aid organizations must “urgently” increase their own capacity to receive and distribute aid.
On the same day, the head of the UN emergency relief office OCHA, Martin Griffiths, described the situation in Gaza as increasingly dramatic. “Gaza has become a place of death and despair,” he said. “The last twelve weeks have been traumatic, especially for children,” said the UN emergency aid coordinator. “No food. No water. No school. Nothing but the terrible sounds of war, day after day.” The Gaza Strip had simply become “uninhabitable,” explained Griffith.
In contrast, the responsible representative of the Israeli Cogat authority said: “We have stabilized the humanitarian situation on site.” There is also a “stabilization of the medical system” in Gaza. At the same time, he rejected allegations that Israel was hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. “We have not rejected a single delivery of food, water, medicine or emergency shelter,” emphasized Goren. “Israel has not and will not deny human assistance to the people of Gaza who do not belong to terror.”
Report: Israel tries to avert genocide charges
Meanwhile, the US news portal reports “Axios”that Israel is trying to build international pressure against South Africa’s genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. South Africa had sued Israel before the highest UN court and accused it of genocide. The Court has scheduled the hearings for January 11th and 12th. The UN court’s rulings are usually binding. However, judges have no power to force a state to implement it.
South Africa is citing the Genocide Convention in its lawsuit. Both states have signed this convention. From South Africa’s perspective, the UN judges should first order an end to the violence against Palestinians in an urgent procedure in order to protect their rights. Israel firmly rejects South Africa’s allegations. Hamas is solely responsible for the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza. Israel is doing everything in the war to keep the damage to the civilian population as low as possible.
The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel, in which the terrorists killed around 1,200 people. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, 22,600 people have died in Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip since then. According to the Israeli armed forces, around 8,000 Hamas members are among the dead. According to the latest information from Hamas, it is still holding 108 Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.