A whopping 140 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours as Israel presses ahead with its fresh offensive in Gaza, prompting renewed allegations of ethnic cleansing.
Local health officials claim that more than 300 people have perished since the Israeli campaign resumed last Thursday (May 15), ushering in one of the deadliest periods in the war since ceasefire talks broke down in March.
“Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic,” Marwan al-Sultan, the director of the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza said Saturday (May 17).
UN condemns dramatic escalation
The escalation by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) was condemned by the UN human rights chief on Friday.
Volker Türk alleged that the Israeli campaign was aimed at denying humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and displacing the local population, which he said was equivalent to ethnic cleansing.
“This latest barrage of bombs … and the denial of humanitarian assistance underline that there appears to be a push for a permanent demographic shift in Gaza that is in defiance of international law and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing,” he said.
UN Secretary General António Guterres echoed similar sentiments. While speaking at an Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday, Guterres called for a permanent ceasefire and lasting peace.
Israel’s justification
Israel claims that the expanded operation in Gaza is a part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which is meant to “achieve all of the war goals in Gaza”. The strikes and accompanying mass mobilisation of troops along Gaza’s borders indicate that Israel may be moving towards establishing “operational control” of parts of the besieged territory.
A ceasefire that began in January fell apart in mid-March when Israel did not proceed to the planned second phase, which could have ended the conflict. The chance of a lasting peace seemed even more unlikely when Israel’s security cabinet approved plans in early May that might involve taking over the entire Gaza Strip.
Arab league summit
The Arab League summit , held on Saturday, focused heavily on the Gaza ceasefire talks. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein mentioned that the attending ministers would support a reconstruction plan for Gaza, differing from Trump’s proposal to take control of the Palestinian territory. The ministers later committed $40 million for rebuilding efforts in Gaza and Lebanon.
On Saturday, Hamas announced that new ceasefire talks with Israel had started in Doha, Qatar. A Hamas official, Taher al-Nono, told Reuters that both sides were discussing all issues without any preconditions.
