Israeli bombardment from the air, land, and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. Ground incursions and heavy fighting also continue to be reported south of Gaza city and in eastern Rafah, including the area of Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings. Rafah Crossing remains closed since May 7.
Victims of Israeli bombardments at Rafah, May 12, 2024 (Photo: WAFA)
On May 8, OCHA, UNRWA, UN Mine Action Service, and the UN Department of Safety and Security carried out a security assessment at both crossings, which remain heavily militarized. “The closure of the crossings means no fuel. It means no trucks, no generators, no water, no electricity and no movement of people or goods. It means no aid…Civilians in Gaza are being starved and killed and we are prevented from helping them,” stated United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths.
For the seventh day in a row, the occupation forces continue to close the Rafah crossing, which led to a complete halt to the movement of passengers, especially the sick and wounded, and the entry of humanitarian aid, or the transfer of accumulated aid to the people of the Gaza Strip in the southern and northern areas.
The Rafah land crossing is considered a lifeline for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and the only land crossing for the entry of aid and the evacuation of the injured individuals. According to local sources, this incursion and its tight control means deprivation of food and medical aid. The occupation forces also continue to close the Kerem Shalom crossing for the eleventh day in a row, with a complete halt to the entry of aid.
A few days ago, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the occupation authorities to reopen the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings “immediately” to allow the entry of humanitarian aid the Gaza Strip, and called on them to stop this escalation. “Closing the two crossings at the same time is particularly harmful to the already desperate humanitarian situation, and they must be reopened immediately,” Guterres said.
According Israeli organization Gisha, “The closing of the crossings and a military incursion in the area threaten to further unravel what is already a humanitarian catastrophe. All parties have an obligation to protect civilians, including by facilitating unhindered and safe access for aid and humanitarian operations. More than a million people are in Rafah, many displaced multiple times. Israel appears to not have a credible plan in place to protect civilians, there are no actual safe areas to go and no way to meet humanitarian needs in these areas, rendering the evacuation illegal. The only way to prevent further atrocities is to reach a ceasefire now.”
A number of Palestinians were killed today morning, May 13, and others were injured, in ongoing artillery and airstrikes by Israeli occupation forces on Jabalia and Jabalia al-Balad camps in the northern Gaza Strip.
Medical sources at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia said that two people were killed and others were wounded as a result of the occupation bombing of citizens’ homes in Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The sources added that a number of people were killed and others were injured as a result of a raid in front of Beit Al-Khair Association on Al-Nuzha Street in Jabalia Al-Balad.
Civil Defense and Ambulance crews said that the bodies of 20 slain civilians were recovered in Jabalia, adding that they were transferred to Kamal Adwan Hospital. Local sources said that the occupation forces surrounded and stormed shelter centers, forcing hundreds of displaced people to head west of Gaza City. The sources added that occupation aircraft and artillery targeted citizens’ homes in Jabalia Camp and Jabalia al-Balad in the northern Gaza Strip, which led to the destruction of a large number of them.
According the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, by land, sea and air, continues since October 7, 2023, which has so far resulted in the killing of 35,034 Palestinians, the majority of whom were children and women, and injuring 78,755 others, while thousands of victims are still under the rubble, in an infinite toll.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31831
