Ceasefire Elusive as Israeli Occupation Continues Aggression on Gaza

In the early hours of Wednesday, Israeli strikes flattened residential buildings in several areas across Gaza, killing at least four Palestinians, including a journalist in Al-Aqsa TV channel.

Earlier, Israeli occupation forces shot dead four other Palestinians and wounded scores more during protests and a historic general strike in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

At least 220 Palestinians, including 63 children, have been martyred in Gaza since the latest violence flared on May 10. About 1,500 Palestinians have been wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Twelve Israelis have died, while at least 300 others have been wounded.

UNRWA Worried

For its part, UNRWA voiced “deep” worries about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, while it appealed for the immediate opening of the Erez and Karam Abu Salem crossings into the enclave.

The ongoing hostilities are also taking place along a COVID-related health crisis in the Palestinian territories.

“The pandemic, with people crowding seeking refuge, remains a serious emergency: Gaza and the West Bank just had the highest COVID-19 outbreaks recently, worse than India in terms of rate,” read a statement from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Ceasefire Talks

Despite the escalating violence, diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire between Israeli occupation and Resistance factions in Gaza have failed to make much headway.

The United States continued to block the UN Security Council from issuing a joint statement urging an end to the hostilities, telling diplomats that a public statement “would not help calm the tensions.”

France, however, says it is working with Egypt and Jordan on a new ceasefire resolution. China said it was “supportive” of the French proposal.