Photo : Collected
With no ceasefire truce deadline in Gaza in sight at the beginning of Ramadan as fighting rages in besieged Palestinian territory.
The besieged by 2 million Palestinians on approximately 365 sq.km of land, Gaza has one of the world's highest population densities. More than 70 per cent of Gaza's population are refugees or descendants of refugees.
On the evening of October 27, 2023, Israel launched a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip, with the stated goals of eliminating and destroying Hamas and to free hostages taken by Hamas.
Gaza and Palestine State are separately governed. Hamas has control of Gaza, where Islamic Sharia law is strictly enforced. The State of Palestine is dominated by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and has secular regulations, where Palestine, Arabs, Muslims, Christians and Jews reside.
Gaza was bifurcated from Palestine State in 2007. Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip after winning elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council. This happened after tensions between Hamas and Fatah escalated in the Gaza Strip in 2006.
The State of Palestine is currently recognised by 138 of the 193 United Nations (UN) member states. The United Nations General Assembly has long upheld the legitimacy of Palestinian statehood. In 2002, Security Council Resolution 1397 affirmed the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine.
The much-expected truce for seamless humanitarian aid and a pause in the conflict between Israeli and Hamas.
Casualties during the 160 days (as of March 12) of the invasion of Israel in Gaza have killed at least 31,112 people, and injured 72,760. Israel said that at least 590 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the conflict since October 7.
The war-torn nation has displaced millions of people and an emerging humanitarian crisis has devastated Gaza.
The people in shelters ran out of food, drinking water, shelter, supplements for infants and fuel. The hospitals urgently need replenishment of medicine, medical equipment for the operation theatre, and most importantly, electricity for the operation of hospitals.
With the UN repeatedly warning of famine, the United States, Jordanian and other planes again airdropped food aid, but the United Nation's aid coordinator for the area has said more supply by land is the best way to get assistance to besieged territory.
Meanwhile, the much-desired humanitarian sea corridor to allow a Spanish charity ship with food aid is ready with 200 tons of food to sail from the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus.
Weeks of talks involving United States, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have aimed for a six-week truce and the release of many of the roughly 100 hostages Hamas is still holding in return for Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails. Alas, there have been no results so far.
Messenger/Fameema
