Palestinian Factions Call for Gaza to Be Declared Disaster Zone, Global Protests to End Siege

DaysOfPal — The Follow-Up Committee of National and Islamic Forces has called for the Gaza Strip to be declared a disaster zone and urged worldwide demonstrations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to demand an end to the war and the lifting of the Israeli siege, amid worsening conditions for displaced Palestinians and the destruction of essential infrastructure.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the committee said Israel had systematically destroyed the infrastructure necessary for daily life in Gaza, confined residents to overcrowded shelters and limited areas, and forced families to live in tents that fail to meet basic standards of humane living conditions.

The committee said these conditions were compounded by continuing restrictions on land, sea, and air access to the territory.

It held Israel responsible for obstructing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, accusing it of preventing the entry of the administrative committee, international stabilization forces, and committees tasked with overseeing and monitoring the agreement.

The committee stressed that Israel bears responsibility for the humanitarian consequences of the war and the ongoing siege.

It also demanded the dissolution of the Board of Peace and called on the United Nations and the UN Security Council to fulfill their legal responsibilities by working to end the Israeli occupation, stop the war, and put an end to Israeli violations of international law and the UN Charter.

The committee urged political parties, labor unions, and solidarity movements worldwide to organize marches and demonstrations over the weekend in support of Gaza residents' right to live in dignity and the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and an independent state.

It also called on Arab and Muslim governments to take stronger measures to pressure Israel to end Gaza's humanitarian crisis and halt wars across the region.

The committee encouraged people throughout Arab and Muslim countries to expand their demonstrations and solidarity activities in support of Palestinians.

The appeal comes as Gaza's shelter crisis worsens following heavy rainfall that flooded displacement camps and damaged thousands of tents.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 26,000 families had requested assistance after their temporary shelters or belongings were damaged as of November 8.

Approximately 1.4 million Palestinians are living in tents or makeshift shelters, leaving them highly vulnerable to severe weather.

Meanwhile, humanitarian shelter stocks inside Gaza are nearly depleted.

OCHA reported that more than 150,000 tents were ready for shipment from locations outside the territory, but Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies and equipment, alongside funding shortages, have hindered winter preparations and limited humanitarian organizations' ability to respond to the emergency.

Source : Safa News