One Year Since the Genocide and Israeli Aggression on Gaza

Date: 7 Oct 2024 

Statement and Appeal to the International Community

One Year Since the Genocide and Israeli Aggression on Gaza

The International Commission “Hashd” Calls for International and Humanitarian Intervention to Stop the Genocide in Gaza and Address the Humanitarian Catastrophe Against Civilians

Over the course of a full year of Israeli aggression and genocide against Gaza and the Palestinian people, Israeli occupation forces have committed 3,650 massacres against civilians, dropping 90,000 tons of explosives on civilians in their homes, shelters, hospitals, and while they were waiting for aid. This has resulted in the death, martyrdom, and disappearance of nearly 55,000 citizens, and 89,818 others have been wounded, with 11,000 of them losing limbs.

Children and women made up 70% of the martyrs and missing, with the number of child martyrs reaching 17,000, and women accounting for 11,458. Additionally, 986 medical personnel, 220 UNRWA workers, 174 journalists, 760 teachers and academics, 88 civil defense members, 143 lawyers and human rights activists, 112 artists and writers, and 209 athletes have been killed.

Since the first day and throughout the entire year, the Israeli occupation forces have deliberately targeted groups protected under the Geneva Conventions, providing them with special protection, including children, women, journalists, medical teams, and civil defense teams. Seventy percent of the martyrs and missing were children and women, with 18,000 child martyrs and 11,458 women killed. Journalists and media institutions have been subjected to a series of grave and organized violations and crimes, ranging from killings, enforced disappearances, arrests, and the destruction of media institutions and equipment. The number of journalists killed has reached 175, with over 78 journalists injured and 36 arrested. Additionally, 986 medical personnel have been martyred, and 310 medical staff members have been arrested. The civil defense teams lost 88 members. Alongside these innocent lives, the state terrorism of the racist occupation is evident in their ruthless destruction and genocide.

The International Commission “Hashd”: The genocide and war attacks using various types of weapons have resulted in the following tragic outcomes:

1. 380,000 housing units have been completely or partially destroyed, in addition to the destruction of 85% of civilian properties and facilities. The infrastructure of the Gaza Strip has been devastated, turning it into an uninhabitable disaster zone.
2. Ongoing displacement of over 2.2 million displaced persons, whose suffering continues in shelters, particularly UNRWA schools, where thousands are crammed into overcrowded classrooms, with 10,000 displaced people in each school. They endure hunger, lack of drinking water, inadequate sanitation, lack of privacy for women and families, and a shortage of blankets and mattresses, which has led to the spread of respiratory diseases among thousands of children, as well as diseases such as chickenpox, meningitis, cholera, and polio. It is estimated that 400,000 people have been infected with contagious diseases, and over 71,338 cases of viral hepatitis have been recorded due to poor hygiene and the inability to bathe. Even using the bathroom has become extremely difficult, with only one bathroom available for every 800 people. Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces continue to issue forced evacuation orders, pushing displaced people into the central Gaza Strip, where approximately 2.2 million people are now crammed.
3. More than 400,000 citizens in northern Gaza remain at risk of death by starvation and killing, as food supplies run out in the markets and the occupation blocks the entry of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. These citizens also face the threat of forced displacement and starvation in an attempt to empty northern Gaza and annex it to the Israeli occupation under the generals’ plan.
4. The continued siege and closure of the crossings, obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid, and the collective punishment by cutting off electricity, water, telecommunications, and internet services have exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. This has left the people of Gaza trapped between death by bombing and shooting, and death by hunger, thirst, and the spread of diseases. More than 5,000 people have died from starvation, the spread of diseases, and the lack of medical treatment, with over 71,338 cases of viral hepatitis due to displacement and the lack of basic services and humanitarian needs.
5. Massacres have been committed against shelters and displaced people, targeting 230 shelters, including schools and tents, resulting in the death and injury of thousands of displaced people, the destruction of shelters, and the overcrowding of displaced people in an area that constitutes no more than 10% of the Gaza Strip’s land.
6. The destruction of healthcare facilities, the storming of hospitals, and the perpetration of mass massacres within their courtyards against civilians, including displaced persons and patients, along with the arrest, killing, and assault of medical staff, has led to the collapse of the healthcare system and its complete dysfunction. The number of martyrs among medical personnel has reached 898. Additionally, 520 martyrs were retrieved from 7 mass graves set up by the occupation forces within hospital grounds during their storming. The number of medical personnel arrested is 310 cases. The destruction, bombing, and storming of healthcare institutions have rendered 34 hospitals out of service. Three major hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been completely destroyed: Al-Shifa Medical Hospital, Al-Quds Hospital, and Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital. Moreover, 160 healthcare institutions and centers have been taken out of service, and 131 ambulances have been destroyed. Meanwhile, 25,000 injured and sick individuals still need to travel outside the Gaza Strip for treatment and surgeries, as the healthcare sector operates at less than 15% of its capacity, alongside the severe shortage of medical supplies and medications.
7. The genocidal war has left significant impacts on the health situation of women in the Gaza Strip due to the lack of hygiene products and the necessity of resorting to primitive alternatives. Many women have taken contraceptive pills, negatively affecting their physical health. According to reports, more than 690,000 women and girls of menstruating age in Gaza suffer from a shortage of sanitary products during their menstrual periods, coupled with difficulty in accessing clean water and private toilets. Reports also indicate that many women are taking “Norethisterone” to delay their periods due to the lack of basic sanitary products, which has led to an increase in the prevalence of gynecological infections and heightened risks of contracting hepatitis. Pregnant women are facing compounded burdens, with an estimated 60,000 pregnant women in Gaza, and more than 180 giving birth daily, many of whom are delivering in tents or shelters. Pregnant women are suffering from malnutrition and dehydration due to the scarcity of food and water, facing acute food insecurity and a lack of medical care. About 15% of these women are at risk of pregnancy complications and premature births, which have increased by a third due to repeated displacement, stress, and fear-induced miscarriages, leading to a 300% rise in miscarriage rates.
8. There is an unprecedented spread of epidemic diseases in Gaza, four to five times higher than before the war. This is due to the lack of potable water, food shortages, weakened collective immunity, the destruction of infrastructure and sewage treatment plants, and the contamination of water, which was already of poor quality. The absence of medications and cleaning supplies, along with overcrowding in tents and shelters housing approximately two million displaced people in dire living conditions, has exacerbated the situation. Since the beginning of the war, the frequency of these diseases has risen to approximately 1,737,524 cases, including skin diseases, upper respiratory infections, hepatitis, meningitis, watery diarrhea, and scabies. The spread of scabies, in particular, has increased with the summer heat, lack of personal hygiene products, and the accumulation of sewage, which attracts insects and cockroaches that crawl over children’s faces as they sleep, leading to a rise in deaths among children, the sick, and the elderly.
9. The obstruction of access to healthcare facilities and hospitals, the lack of medications and medical supplies, and the difficulty of conducting laboratory tests have placed enormous burdens on more than 350,000 chronic disease patients. Among them, approximately 2,000 diabetes patients rely on insulin, without which they cannot survive. Chronic respiratory disease patients, such as those with lung conditions and asthma, are suffering from suffocation due to dust from explosions and are not receiving immediate treatment. Additionally, 10,000 cancer patients are facing death due to the lack of appropriate treatment after the Turkish Friendship Hospital, specialized for cancer patients, was directly bombed, endangering the lives of those undergoing treatment. Furthermore, cancer patients are suffering from a lack of essential medications, as their entry into Gaza has been prevented, and many have been denied transfers for treatment abroad due to the closure of the Rafah crossing. Kidney dialysis patients, numbering more than 1,200, including about 40 children, are at risk of death due to the cessation of services in many hospitals that provided this care, and the reduced capacity of remaining hospitals to offer such services due to the lack of electricity, water, and essential dialysis supplies. Additionally, these patients cannot reach hospitals due to displacement and the lack of transportation, as hospitals and roads are targeted by bombings. The lack of medical services and appropriate treatment for chronic disease patients has led to the martyrdom of 657 individuals due to these conditions.
10. The continued imposition of collective punishment, including cutting off electricity, water, fuel, cooking gas, and goods to Gaza, has turned civilian life into a humanitarian catastrophe. The occupation state did not stop there but also destroyed water wells, tanks, and desalination plants. They destroyed 700 water wells and 655,000 linear meters of sewage networks, causing the destruction of nearly 90% of sewage treatment plants. The occupation also destroyed 3,130 kilometers of electricity networks. The destruction of infrastructure, food stores, shops, and farms aims to devastate the humanitarian and service systems, bringing most municipal services to a halt, including garbage collection, water well operation, and road maintenance, among other essential services. The Global Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (GIWEH) estimates that 97% of Gaza’s water is unfit for drinking, and 88% of water wells in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed since the war began. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than one million Palestinians suffer from acute respiratory diseases, over half a million suffer from severe diarrhea, and 65,000 have developed skin rashes. Half of Gaza’s children suffer from waterborne diseases, and a quarter of the diseases prevalent in the Strip are caused by water contamination, with 12% of young children’s deaths linked to intestinal infections related to polluted water.
11. The ground incursions have caused widespread destruction in Palestinian cities and refugee camps in Gaza, with the storming of UNRWA shelters and hospitals, turning them into military barracks, and subjecting forcibly displaced civilians, including women, children, and men, to mistreatment. Thousands have been arrested, tortured, and some executed on the spot. The commission documented the arrest of over 13,000 citizens, who were transferred to unknown locations, with 5,000 still detained. Testimonies from released individuals indicate that Gaza detainees are enduring the harshest conditions inside Israeli prisons, where they are stripped of their clothing, kept handcuffed at all times, confined in cages, and deprived of basic rights, food, and healthcare. Reports also mention systematic torture, rape, and brutal and inhumane treatment, with some of the most egregious abuses occurring at the “Sdeh Teyman” camp, located between Beersheba and Gaza to the south, where 36 Palestinian prisoners have been killed. This camp is run by the Israeli army and holds the majority of detainees from Gaza.
12. The risk of famine persists, with more than 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.4 million suffering from acute food insecurity. Dozens have died from famine and chronic diseases, with a quarter of the population facing “catastrophic levels of hunger.” According to UNICEF, over 10,000 children in Gaza are at risk of wasting and abnormal weight loss. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 35 children have died due to malnutrition and dehydration. The World Health Organization also noted that between three to seven percent of children in southern Gaza suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
13. Destruction of cemeteries in the Gaza Strip and the theft of corpses and martyrs’ bodies:The Israeli occupation forces have been bulldozing cemeteries and stealing bodies using bulldozers, returning some of the remains to Gaza in containers in an inhumane manner. This behavior illustrates the desecration of the bodies and the lack of respect for human dignity, which is protected by the rules of international humanitarian law. The occupation forces have repeatedly sent containers filled with unidentified bodies, without any information to help identify the remains.
14. Deprivation of education for students in the Gaza Strip for the second consecutive school year:As a result of the ongoing genocide and Israeli aggression on Gaza, 750 teachers, 243 academic staff, and 11,500 school-aged children have been killed, with around 30,000 more injured. Approximately 450 schools and universities, representing 92% of educational institutions, are out of service, while the remaining facilities have been repurposed as shelters for forcibly displaced civilians. Consequently, 650,000 children have been deprived of their right to education, and nearly 39,000 high school students have been unable to sit for their exams. Additionally, around 74,000 university students have been prevented from continuing their studies, marking a grave violation of the students’ right to education, as guaranteed by international humanitarian law.
15. Destruction of judicial and police institutions:The Israeli forces have targeted the judicial and police institutions in Gaza as a war crime aimed at instigating chaos and undermining public order. This deliberate destruction has resulted in the collapse of law enforcement and the judicial system, with most police stations, public prosecution offices, and courts being completely destroyed. One of the most heinous crimes was the complete destruction of the Courthouse Complex, known as the “Palace of Justice,” including its archives containing around 472,878 case files dating back to 2022. The Gaza Bar Association and numerous law firms have also been destroyed, along with most police stations, prisons, and rehabilitation centers. This has led to widespread lawlessness, an increase in thefts and looting, and a surge in violence. The destruction of police forces and law enforcement agencies, many of whom were killed in the aggression, has worsened the situation, causing a rise in family feuds, price gouging, and crimes against public and private property.
16. Targeting the tourism sector and cultural heritage sites:The Israeli forces have systematically destroyed the tourism sector and Palestinian historical sites during their aggression on Gaza. Around 5,000 tourist establishments were destroyed, including 3,450 restaurants, 921 cultural activity venues, 182 handicraft establishments, 173 hotels, and 206 archaeological sites. The attacks also resulted in the loss of jobs for 15,265 workers in the tourism sector. Furthermore, 70% of Gaza’s agricultural land has been deliberately destroyed, emphasizing the occupation’s intent to deepen famine and destroy the necessary resources for the survival of Gaza’s population.
17. Devastation of the agricultural sector:The Israeli aggression has also targeted Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure, destroying approximately 80% of agricultural lands and facilities. This is part of a deliberate policy aimed at deepening hunger and famine among Gaza’s residents, further destroying the environment and essential resources necessary for the population’s sustenance.
18. Obstruction of aid and food supplies:The Israeli forces have deliberately reduced and obstructed the entry of aid and food supplies. The number of food trucks entering Gaza has dropped to its lowest level in 11 months, with an average of just 130 trucks per day. Additionally, international organizations, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), have been targeted and labeled as terrorist organizations, leading to a suspension of their funding.
19. Escalation of Israeli aggression in the West Bank and Jerusalem: In parallel with the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Israel has intensified its aggression in the West Bank, including in the besieged city of Jerusalem, where access to churches and the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been heavily restricted. Daily incursions into the mosque by settlers have been reported, while settler violence has escalated, with 2,200 attacks carried out under military protection. The occupation forces have expanded the construction of 81 new settler outposts and 50,000 settlement units, while simultaneously committing field executions resulting in 720 deaths and 6,200 injuries. Arbitrary detentions have also surged, with 11,000 Palestinians arrested. The occupation forces continue to destroy infrastructure and impose military closures on cities and towns, exacerbating the already dire situation caused by settlement expansion, forced displacement, and land annexation ,Israeli aggression in Lebanon:Israel has expanded its aggression to Lebanon, particularly targeting civilian areas and Palestinian refugee camps in the Bekaa Valley, southern Lebanon, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. This aggression has resulted in over 2,500 deaths and 2,400 injuries, most of them children, women, and medical workers. Over 100,000 civilians have been forcibly displaced from their homes, further confirming Israel’s deliberate targeting of civilians through indiscriminate attacks. One of the most heinous war crimes was the detonation of beeper devices and wireless systems, killing dozens and injuring nearly 5,000 civilians. These latest attacks are part of Israel’s broader strategy of committing war crimes and genocide in Palestine, which has resulted in the death of around 150,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, 70% of whom were children and women.