Israeli air strikes killed more than 700 Palestinian civilians overnight. Source: Wafa, Wikimedia Commons
Several countries have joined the United Nations in a call for a ‘humanitarian pause’ on Israel’s ongoing war on Palestine so that aid can safely be delivered to the civilians of the besieged Gaza Strip.
These countries include Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
The international pressure for a humanitarian pause comes after Gaza’s health authorities reported that Israeli air strikes killed more than 700 Palestinian civilians overnight, which is so far the highest death toll in a 24-hour period in Israel’s current siege on Gaza.
UN agencies said they had been ‘pleading’ for unimpeded emergency aid to be let into Gaza, and that over 20 times the number of current deliveries were needed to support the 2.3 million people trapped in Gaza’s narrow strip.
The Palestinian health ministry have released a statement on social media, reporting that at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardments since the 7th of October.
Of those killed, 2,360 were children.
On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded for civilians to be protected, saying there were “clear violations of international humanitarian law” currently in Gaza.
Guterres also said that “it is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have also called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” to stop food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities in Gaza from running out.
Gaza’s doctors have said that people arriving in hospitals are displaying symptoms of diseases because of overcrowding and poor sanitation after 1.4 million people had to flee for temporary shelter due to Israel’s biggest bombardment yet.
