The more-than-one-year Israeli war on Gaza, now one of the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, has escalated into a severe human rights crisis, marked by an overwhelming humanitarian tragedy.
Civilians in the war-torn Strip continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, which shows no signs of easing. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, as of 15 September, Israeli bombardments have claimed 41,000 lives and injured over 95,000 others. Additionally, the ministry estimated in May that 10,000 people remain missing under the rubble.
Between 7 October last year and 5 May this year, Israel dropped approximately 70,000 tons of bombs on Gaza, exceeding the total dropped on Dresden, Hamburg, and London during World War II, according to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.
The UN Agency For Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said that the debris caused by Israeli bombardments is a potential threat and could contain unexploded ordnance and harmful substances such as asbestos. It is also likely to hold human remains. Clearing the 40 million tons of rubble left from Israel’s sweeping bombardment of the Gaza Strip is expected to take 15 years and cost between $500 and $600 million.
The infrastructure damage caused by Israeli bombardments of buildings, schools, businesses, industries, and essential facilities in the Gaza Strip is estimated at $18.5 billion, according to a report by the World Bank. The Gaza Government Media Office reported that the conflict has resulted in the destruction of 200 government facilities, 610 mosques, three churches, and 122 schools and universities.
The ongoing war has also dealt a heavy blow to Gaza’s education system, leaving approximately 625,000 students unable to attend classes for the second consecutive year. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, 90 per cent of schools in Gaza have been either completely or partially destroyed by Israeli attacks. Many of these schools are being used as shelters for displaced families, making traditional classroom learning impossible for all students.
In an attempt to salvage the new school year, the Palestinian Ministry of Education has shifted to online learning. However, this approach faces major obstacles, including limited Internet access and a lack of electricity.
Samia Al-Agha, a 17-year-old from Khan Yunis who registered for online classes, has encountered numerous challenges in accessing her education.
“I signed up for online learning, but I’m facing many difficulties. I don’t always have Internet access, and I don’t have a desk or books. I can’t keep my phone or laptop fully charged. I can barely half-charge my phone each day since we’ve had no power since 7 October. The school year has just begun, and I really hope I don’t lose it,” she said.
Samia’s mother, Eman, told Al-Ahram Weekly that she has five younger children who also need her help to keep up with online learning. “Online learning has its pros and cons. It’s incredibly challenging for both me and the kids, especially with the ongoing power outages and the horrific situation caused by the continuous Israeli bombardments,” she said.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Education, Israeli air, land, and sea bombardments have resulted in the deaths of 4,327 students and injuries to 7,819 others. Additionally, 231 teachers and university tutors have been killed, and 756 have been injured.
The UN has described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “beyond catastrophic.” The ongoing conflict has resulted in severe shortages of food, water, medical supplies, and shelter, with most people living in dire conditions in tent camps located in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.
Recent evacuations and attacks in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Yunis have further worsened the already dire situation in Gaza, leading to the additional displacement of people.
According to a September report by the NGO We World, 90 per cent of Gaza’s population is now displaced, with over 88.5 per cent of the Strip under forced displacement orders or designated as no-go zones. This has pushed the civilian population into a small, overcrowded area unilaterally declared a “humanitarian zone,” where the population density has soared to 34,000 people per square km, compared to 1,200 before 7 October.
Even bakeries in the Gaza Strip have been hit and destroyed. According to Kamel Ajour, manager of Kamel Ajour Bakeries, five out of six bakeries in northern Gaza supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) shut down in September due to shortages of fuel.
“The last one remaining is at the risk of closing within a few days due to Israeli restrictions on the entry of fuel, water, and flour to northern Gaza. This has worsened the hunger crisis, leaving many people struggling to find food,” he said.
HEALTH CRISIS: Malnutrition among children in the Gaza Strip is rapidly escalating to unprecedented levels due to ongoing restrictions on aid delivery since 7 October.
In early September, six-year-old Yakeen Al-Astal died from malnutrition and lack of treatment in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, raising the number of child fatalities from malnutrition in Gaza to 37, according to health officials.
In mid-August, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that a 10-month-old boy in Deir Al-Balah had been paralysed by polio. The case marks the first confirmed instance of the disease in the war-torn region in 25 years.
The Gaza Ministry of Health attributes the outbreak of polio in the Gaza Strip to the flow of sewage in the streets and into the tents of displaced individuals, coupled with inadequate hygiene and a shortage of clean water.
In response to the polio outbreak, health workers in Gaza launched a vaccination campaign in September, partnering with the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, UNRWA, and various health experts to curb the spread of the disease.
“I was concerned when I heard about the polio outbreak in Gaza. Although I was initially hesitant to vaccinate my son, I decided to go ahead after many other mothers encouraged me,” said Rima Daban, the mother of a five-month-old boy in Al-Zawayda, in the central Gaza Strip.
According to the WHO, over 560,000 children under the age of ten in Gaza have received the first of two polio vaccine doses. The outbreak, attributed to poor water quality and the destruction of sanitation systems by Israel, has prompted this mass vaccination effort, according to local and international health officials.
The Gaza Strip is facing a serious outbreak of skin diseases and diarrhea, particularly in overcrowded tent camps and shelter schools. Children are especially vulnerable, with many experiencing painful and itchy skin infections. According to the WHO, more than 150,000 cases of skin diseases, including scabies and impetigo, have been documented. Health officials report a surge in conditions like scabies, lice, impetigo, and various rashes.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has expressed serious concern over the sharp rise in skin infections linked to deteriorating hygiene conditions. The crisis has worsened due to a critical shortage of essential hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, and detergents. Overcrowded shelters and limited access to clean water have made it nearly impossible for residents to maintain basic hygiene, fuelling the spread of communicable diseases.
While humanitarian organisations are working to address the issue, the urgent need for hygiene supplies persists.
Fatheya Madi, 25, displaced in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, said that her nine-year-old daughter Kefah is suffering from a severe skin rash. “The doctor prescribed ointments for her, but there has been no improvement. It’s extremely hot inside the tent, and we rarely shower due to the water shortage,” she explained.
Madi expressed sorrow for her daughter, who struggles to sleep due to the pain. She also mentioned that several family members have experienced various skin infections caused by a lack of hygiene, with some infections lingering for long periods and others not fully healing.
The situation in Gaza’s hospitals is also critical. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 74 per cent of life-saving medicines are unavailable. Additionally, only 15 out of 23 hospitals, and 10 healthcare centres, are partially operational, with many health services disrupted due to the ongoing conflict.
ECONOMIC DEVASTATION: Israel’s war on Gaza, which is approaching its first anniversary, has inflicted enormous economic damage on the devastated territory, more even than before 7 October. Only a permanent ceasefire can repair the damage and pave the way for the devastated Strip to recover.
Prices have surged dramatically, especially in northern Gaza, due to the ongoing aggression and the closure of border crossings. This has led to a sharp increase in the cost of basic food items, with the price of lentils rising from two shekels per kg to 10 shekels. The prices of fruit and vegetables have skyrocketed, creating significant hardship for residents, many of whom can barely afford to eat.
Salma Khayal, 43, from Gaza shared her experience. “$41 – that’s how much three potatoes in Gaza cost; before the war these potatoes would cost just 55 cents (two shekels). Can you imagine that tomatoes are sold at $81 per kg? These prices are not seen anywhere else in the world. Essential supplies are beyond our reach,” she said.
The soaring costs don’t stop at potatoes. Palestinians in the north of the Gaza Strip, where people have been hit hard by hunger, say they can barely afford to eat and there is no work for them available. Most of the food found in the market is canned, and some people say it makes them sick.
“I wish I could offer healthy food to my kids. We have forgotten the taste of meat and chicken. We rely on canned food, lentils, and bread. It’s all I can afford. We are so tired,” Saleh Ajour, 40, from northern Gaza said.
The situation in the Gaza Strip is extreme. The arrest and detention of Palestinians, especially civilians, has worsened the humanitarian crisis. Reports of arbitrary and secret detentions add to the severity of the situation and lead to human rights violations. The international community calls for transparency and respect for human rights in such situations.
Many of those arrested have faced abuse, torture, and the denial of basic rights, regardless of their age or health conditions. Consequently, a number of them have died in Israeli prisons and detention centres, a Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor report said.
It warned that tens of thousands of elderly people in the Gaza Strip are at serious risk of dying, as 69 per cent of them have chronic diseases.
In addition, the majority have not received any medical assistance due to the collapse of the healthcare system owing to the actions of the Israeli army, as well as Israel’s arbitrary blockade of the enclave, it said.
The escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza underscores the urgent need for international intervention. The intentional devastation of healthcare facilities and severe restrictions imposed on essential services in the Gaza Strip have brought the people of Gaza, especially the elderly and those who suffer from chronic diseases, to severe hardship.
The international community must intensify efforts to address these immediate needs and work towards a durable solution that respects human rights and guarantees the delivery of essential aid. Ongoing monitoring and reporting will be crucial to support and advocate for the well-being of Gaza’s most vulnerable populations as the situation evolves.
While a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, potentially tied to a prisoner-exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, is urgently needed, even a ceasefire alone is crucial to prevent further casualties and injuries among civilians.
It would enable the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, to those in need, and it would facilitate the reconstruction of vital infrastructure such as hospitals and schools in war-ravaged Gaza.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 10 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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