Since the beginning of Israel's systematic genocide in Gaza on 7 October 2023, the Israeli military has targeted every facet of life in the Gaza Strip, eradicating any efforts towards recovery and revival.

In its relentless assault, the occupation has focused on humanitarian service providers and municipal leaders in central and southern Gaza. The latest victim is Diab Al-Jaru, the mayor of Deir al-Balah, who was assassinated on 14 December 2023 after receiving special tankers for sewage water management provided by a humanitarian organization. This initiative sought to alleviate the displaced population’s suffering, worsened by winter floods and deteriorating living conditions.

The deliberate targeting of municipal leaders by the Israeli occupation serves to deepen the suffering of displaced Palestinians, disrupt essential services, and foster chaos. This strategy has exacerbated public health crises by spreading disease and dismantling critical infrastructure.

Mohammad Musleh, Mayor of Al-Maghazi in central Gaza, stated: "The municipalities provide vital services to displaced Palestinians, striving to improve their daily lives and maintain order. The occupation, however, aims to create disorder by assassinating municipal leaders."

Musleh explained that these assassinations dismantle municipal institutions entirely, halting their ability to serve the public. He added that fear now permeates among municipal workers as the occupation increasingly targets their headquarters and personnel.

Despite operating under emergency conditions, municipal institutions in Gaza have continued to provide critical field services to the displaced amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught. However, targeted attacks on municipal leaders have crippled their operations, forcing workers to operate under constant fear and with severely limited resources.

Musleh emphasised the urgent need for the international community to support Gaza’s municipalities, ensuring their leaders and staff are protected from Israeli aggression. He highlighted that the targeting of municipal leaders is part of a systematic plan to sever local governance from the reality on the ground, leaving the Palestinian population more vulnerable than ever.

During Israel’s genocidal war, its forces have assassinated the mayors of Deir al-Balah, Al-Maghazi, Nuseirat, and Al-Zahra in central Gaza. Municipal headquarters in Al-Zawaideh, Al-Zahra, Maghazi, Al-Bureij, and Deir al-Balah have been systematically destroyed, along with facilities in northern Gaza and other areas.

The Gaza Government Media Office has described the assassination of municipal leaders as a “war crime aimed at creating chaos, security instability, and worsening the humanitarian crisis.” The office underscored that these attacks reflect Israel's inability to achieve its broader objectives in Gaza through military means.

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