This statement coincides with an Israeli military escalation in the northern Gaza Strip. The occupation army continued to bomb entire areas of Gaza City and dropped leaflets via drones urging residents of neighborhoods in the city to evacuate their homes and head south, as part of a declared plan to seize complete control of the Strip.
The Government Information Office in Gaza stated that the threat of an Israeli invasion of Gaza City threatens to exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe affecting more than 2.4 million Palestinians in the Strip.
He pointed out that the occupation, despite announcing that it would allow the entry of shelter supplies, has only permitted the entry of approximately 10,000 tents, representing only 4% of the total need, estimated at 250,000 tents and caravans. He considered this an indication of deliberate procrastination in addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
The office confirmed that there are currently no tents or shelter materials at the crossings due to the restrictions imposed by the occupation on the work of international organizations, exacerbating the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. It also noted the absence of safe areas in the south, given that the occupation army controls approximately 77% of the Gaza Strip, making any new displacement a threat to the lives of civilians.
In this context, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday that he had approved the army's plans to occupy all of Gaza, vowing to use heavy fire and displace residents, and threatening to turn the city into a similar fate to Rafah and Beit Hanoun, which have suffered widespread destruction in recent months.
Israeli plan to expand control and accusations of obstructing aid
The Government Media Office in Gaza held the Israeli occupation, along with the United States and the international community, fully responsible for what it described as an "ongoing crime." It called for urgent and effective international action to halt the plan to occupy Gaza City and to immediately allow the entry of shelter supplies without conditions or restrictions.
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On August 8, the Israeli government approved a plan proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a gradual reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, based on what it called the "Five Principles for Ending the War," which include: disarming Hamas, returning prisoners, establishing security control over the Strip, fully disarming it, and establishing an alternative civil administration not affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
For his part, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini called on Israel on Sunday to allow humanitarian organizations to operate freely within the Gaza Strip, warning of worsening famine and describing the situation in Gaza as "hell in every way."
In a post on the X platform, Lazzarini criticized Israel's denial of a famine, describing it as "the most abhorrent expression of dehumanization." He called for the opening of the crossings, an immediate ceasefire, and the granting of access for international journalists to cover the situation independently. Lazzarini emphasized that rapid action is necessary to halt the famine, saying, "Every hour counts."
The United Nations Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared famine in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, predicting that the famine will extend to Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis governorates by the end of September.
Despite its reliance on field data and information, Israel attacked the UN report, claiming it was based on "phone testimonies." Israel has continued to close the crossings into the Gaza Strip since March 2, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid. This has led to widespread famine, despite the hundreds of aid trucks piling up on the border.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The Israeli genocide left 62,686 Palestinians dead, 157,951 wounded, most of them children and women, more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that killed 289 Palestinians, including 115 children, as of Sunday.
