Palestinian minister seeks support for women in war-torn Gaza as death toll and starvation surge
Wounded Palestinians arrive for treatment at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital after Israeli bombardment in Deir Balah in the central Gaza Strip on March 9, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (Photo by AFP)
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues on a large scale, Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs Amal Hamad has called on “all the women of the world to stand by Palestinian women” while briefing journalists during the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
The Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs highlighted how people in Gaza are subjected to genocide, ethnic cleansing and an unprecedented war of starvation and thirst.
She added that “All the necessities of life have been destroyed by Israel’s war machine,” while adding that pressure should be put on Israel to reach a ceasefire urgently” so that people in Gaza can receive “urgent relief” during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, Tariq Ahmad, the UK minister of state responsible for relations with the Middle East, North Africa and the UN, has appealed to Israel to “allow unhindered access” to Jerusalem’s holy sites during Ramadan.
He said, “Restricting access to Al-Aqsa during Ramadan risks inflaming tensions and undermines Muslim rights to worship.”
Since the war began on October 7, at least 31,045 Palestinians have been killed and 72,654 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attacks stands at 1,139, and dozens continue to be held captive.
