By Hosea Parah, Abuja
Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Nigeria, has condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, emphasizing its devastating effects on civilians, particularly children. According to UNICEF, an alarming 19,000 children have been separated from their families, forced to navigate the chaos without support.
In a statement made in Abuja on Thursday. the ambassador characterized the conflict as a “heinous, malicious, and vindictive genocide,” resulting in significant casualties. As of October 30, the death toll stands at 43,163, with over 101,510 individuals injured. The situation in northern Gaza is particularly dire, enduring a total siege for the 24th consecutive day, which has halted access to humanitarian aid, medical assistance, and essential supplies.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that more than 60,000 people have been displaced in northern Gaza this month alone. Children are especially vulnerable, with fewer than one medically evacuated per day; at this pace, it could take over seven years to evacuate the 2,500 children in urgent need of care.
In a concerning development, the Israeli Knesset has passed a bill that could jeopardize the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. This legislation threatens to worsen the situation for approximately 650,000 students in Gaza who rely on UNRWA for education and support.
The ambassador clarified that this bill does not strip Palestinians of their refugee status, which is upheld by numerous international resolutions. Nonetheless, the ongoing conflict has exacerbated the hardships faced by the people of Gaza, with thousands of homes destroyed and significant loss of life.
The situation is also grim in the occupied West Bank, where at least 11,500 arrests have been reported since the conflict began, including 430 women and 750 children. The human rights situation continues to deteriorate, with reports of administrative detainees and casualties among journalists.
As the international community contemplates the “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which aims to leave no one behind, the ambassador lamented that Palestinians remain excluded from the narrative in the ongoing crisis.
The world watches as the humanitarian crisis intensifies, calling for immediate action to alleviate suffering and protect the most vulnerable populations.