By Harriet Tornguvan -Abuja
"We pledge that no one will be left behind." This core commitment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development appears hollow for Palestinians, who have endured a relentless humanitarian crisis, marked by staggering death tolls, injuries, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The ambassador to the state of Palestine to Nigeria Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, has continued to lament over the ill-treatment of the people of the Palestine in the war, addressing the media in Abuja on the 398 day of relentless bombardments and assaults on Palestine, he stated a recent figure of over 43,391 Palestinians who have lost their lives, with 102,337 injured in Gaza alone the majority being women and children. In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 777 Palestinians have been killed over the last 13 months.
The Ambassador cried out on the state of education which has suffered immensely. 11,923 students have been killed and 19,199 injured over this period.
Additionally he said, Israel has dropped 85,000 tons of bombs on Gaza, a total that surpasses the bombs dropped during World War II.
"In terms of international support, the United States has provided at least $22.76 billion in military aid to Israel and for related operations in the region in just the past year.
"The humanitarian impact is severe. The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs reports that 90 percent of Gaza’s population has been displaced.
"Many now live in temporary shelters, unable to access basic necessities like food, clean water, or medicine.
Feathermore Shawesh said, an estimated 96 percent of Gaza’s population faces severe food insecurity, leaving 2.15 million people in crisis-level hunger or worse.
"The water supply has plummeted to 4.74 liters per person per day, less than a third of the emergency recommendation, making basic sanitation a daily struggle. Additionally, only 4 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain undamaged, while more than 880 healthcare workers have lost their lives in the conflict.
He said, since October 7, 2023, the situation has worsened drastically. At least 150,000 Palestinians have been killed, injured, maimed, or reported missing primarily women and children.
To some he said the entire famiylies has been lost, generations erased, and countless children left injured before even taking their first steps.
The international community’s response has fallen far short of its promise of "Never Again." The failure to protect Palestinian civilians, address the root causes of the conflict, and enforce international law has left Palestine in ruins, with communities shattered and survival pushed to the brink.
Read the full statement below::
“We pledge that no one will be left behind."
2030 agenda for sustainable development.
We, the Palestinian were left behind
398 days of nonstop bleeding at the hands of the USA-Israeli different slaughtering machines, here are some statistical figures
43,391 Palestinians were martyred and 102,337 were injured in Gaza, with the vast majority being children and women. In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 777 Palestinians were martyred during the last 13 months.
11,923 students were killed and 19,199 injured in the past 13 months. Additionally, 341 school and university buildings were targeted in military attacks, with 77 of them completely destroyed.
Israel dropped 85 thousand tons of bombs on Gaza, exceeding those dropped in World War II, including internationally banned white phosphorus bombs.
In just one year, the U.S. has spent at least $22.76 billion on military aid to Israel and related U.S. operations in the region.
Citing the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs “An estimated 90 percent of Gaza’s population … have been displaced and are living in temporary shelters, without cash to purchase basic necessities like food, clean water, and medicine. 96 percent of Gaza’s population faces acute levels of food insecurity, with 2.15 million people in crisis levels of hunger or worse. The amount of water available in Gaza is reduced by 94% to 4.74 liters a day per person – just under a third of the recommended minimum in emergencies and less than a single toilet flush. As of May {2024}, only 4 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals had not been damaged, destroyed, or raided. More than 880 healthcare workers have been killed.
15 UN agencies leaders in a joint statement, urged Israel “to cease its assault on Gaza and on the humanitarians trying to help” . . . “Dozens of schools serving as shelters have been bombed or forcibly evacuated. Tents sheltering displaced families have been shelled, and people have been burned alive.” . . . “The entire Palestinian population in North Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence”
At least 197 UNRWA employees have been killed in Gaza. Nearly 190 UNRWA premises have been damaged or destroyed. UNRWA-run schools have been demolished; at least 520 displaced people have been killed while sheltered inside UNRWA schools and other structures.”
Gaza has become a wasteland of rubble and human remains, with people barely holding on to life amid deprivation and disease, while battling with the deep, inherited trauma of the Nakba survivors. Communal bonds have been broken, the social fabric shredded, and reserves of resilience depleted,”. Since 7 October 2023, at least 150,000 Palestinians have been killed, injured, maimed or are missing – most of them women and children. Entire families have been exterminated, generations erased, and babies left limbless before they could crawl.”
“With no justification other than to kill the remaining residents and force any survivors to flee, Israeli forces used multiple missiles to bomb the residential blocks, destroying them while hundreds of civilians were inside.”
The international community failed to live up to the noble promise of "NEVER AGAIN."
Abdullah M. Abu ShaweshAmbassador of the Embassy of the State of Palestine
