UN “deeply concerned” over Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Wennesland says

QNN TeamAugust 6, 2022
3 minutes read
Smoke and flame are seen during Israeli air strikes in Gaza City August 5, 2022. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- The United Nations’ special coordinator for the Middle East peace process has said there was “no justification” for Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip which left at least 11 Palestinians dead, including a five-year-old girl, and over 75 wounded.

In a statement issued on Friday, Tor Wennesland said, “I am deeply concerned by the ongoing escalation between Palestinian militants and Israel, including the targeted killing today of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader inside Gaza. This takes place amidst mounting tensions across the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip in recent weeks.”

The UN envoy added, “I am deeply saddened by reports that a five-year-old child has been killed in these strikes. There can be no justification for any attacks against civilians.”

The continuing escalation, Tor noted, is “very dangerous,” urging “the launching of rockets must cease immediately” and calling on “all sides to avoid further escalation.”

“The progress made in gradually opening Gaza since the end of the May escalation risks being undone, leading to even greater humanitarian needs at a time when global resources are stretched and international financial support for a renewed humanitarian effort in Gaza will not be easily available.”

Wennesland stressed that the “UN is fully engaged with all concerned in an attempt to avoid a further conflict which would have devastating consequences, mainly for civilians.”

Since Friday afternoon, Israeli occupation has been launching a series of air strikes and artillery fire in Gaza in an aggression that left, so far, at least 11 Palestinians dead, including a five-year-old girl and a senior Islamic Jihad commander. At least 75 people have been injured as well, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as one of the air strikes hit a residential building in central Gaza.

‘Israel’ announced it has started a new military operation against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza; the operation was dubbed “Breaking Dawn”.

The Israeli attacks targeted different areas: Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south of the strip, al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in the north, and a residential building in central Gaza.

The aggression comes after days of tension with the Islamic Jihad movement after a senior leader of the group, Bassam al-Saadi, was brutally arrested and attacked on Monday by Israeli forces during a military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Saadi’s son-in-law, Ashraf al-Jada, was also arrested in the raid; Saadi’s wife sustained injuries during the arrest and was taken to hospital for treatment. During the same raid, Israeli forces also shot and killed 17-year-old Palestinian Dirar al-Kafrayni.

The strikes also came after days of border closures, including the closure of the Karam Abu Salem commercial crossing, which is responsible for the flow of fuel needed for Gaza’s sole power plant.

Earlier this week, Israeli occupation closed roads around Gaza and sent reinforcements to the border as it braced for a response after the arrest of al-Saadi.

Ahmed Mudalal, an Islamic Jihad official in Gaza, said the movement had made demands on Israeli occupation through Egyptian mediators, including the release of the al-Saadi and another detainee who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for over 155 days in protest against his administrative detention, a halt to West Bank raids, and the lifting of the Gaza blockade. He said they have not yet received a response.

Responding to the aggressive attacks, the Islamic Jihad said in a statement, “The enemy has begun a war targeting our people, and we all have the duty to defend ourselves and our people, and not allow the enemy to get away with its actions which are aimed at undermining the resistance and national steadfastness.”

An Israeli military spokesman said “we are assuming about 15 killed in action” in Gaza, referring to Islamic Jihad group fighters.

“We haven’t finished yet,” spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters, adding that ‘Israel’ expected retaliatory rocket fire against by Palestinian factions in Gaza.

Ziad al-Nakhalah, head of the Islamic Jihad, said there are no limits in this round of fighting and that Tel Aviv will be targeted.

“There are no red lines in this battle and Tel Aviv will fall under the rockets of resistance, as well as all Israeli cities,” he said.

Fawzi Barhoum, the spokesperson for Hamas, said the resistance factions in Gaza are united and ready to respond with “full force”.

In response to the Israeli airstrikes, Palestinian resistance factions have fired rockets from Gaza at 21:00 local time towards Israeli-occupied Palestinian cities and settlements. Some rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system. The Islamic Jihad movement also said that it fired more than 100 rockets into ‘Israel’.

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QNN TeamAugust 6, 2022
3 minutes read

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