The Night of the New York Declaration in Gaza: Heavy Bombardments and Dismembered Bodies
In Gaza, no sound resonated louder than the “New York Declaration,” except for the roar of Israeli shells that killed 50 people in the enclave on Friday.
Nearly two years into the Gaza war, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the “New York Declaration” on Friday by a large majority, aimed at breathing new life into the two-state solution while, for the first time, unequivocally sidelining Hamas.
Israel condemned the resolution as “disgraceful,” arguing that it encouraged the “continuation of war.”
In contrast, Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh stated that the decision “reflects the international will in support of our people’s rights and marks an important step toward ending the occupation and establishing our independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
On Friday evening, Gaza’s Civil Defense reported that 50 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in the enclave, including 35 in Gaza City.
The Israeli army announced it was continuing “a broad offensive against terrorist infrastructure and towers that had been converted into military facilities in Gaza City.”
As part of its campaign to destroy high-rise buildings launched a week earlier, the army stated that it would “further intensify the pace of strikes in a focused manner in order to target Hamas terrorist infrastructure and reduce the threat to our forces, as part of preparations for the next phase of the operation.”
Dismembered Bodies
Gaza Civil Defense reported that 14 people were killed in a strike targeting a residential building in the northwestern part of Gaza City.
Journalist Hazem al-Sultan, who lost relatives in the attack, said: “Fourteen bodies were recovered, most of them children and women. Two bodies were intact, the rest were dismembered.”
He told AFP that he went to Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital, where funeral prayers were held for the victims, whose remains were wrapped in white shrouds, some belonging to children.
Warning of Catastrophe
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a “catastrophe” if Israel proceeds with its plan, adopted last August, to take full control of Gaza City.
According to the UN, roughly one million people are currently in Gaza City and its surroundings.
On Friday, the Israeli army stated that “as part of the plan to push Gaza City residents southward, and within the framework of efforts to adapt the humanitarian response in southern Gaza, the army has begun work to expand ‘Crossing 147’ in order to enlarge the designated humanitarian zone.”
Tripartite Statement
Meanwhile, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom on Friday called for an “immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza City.”
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three countries declared: “We urgently call for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza City, which are causing mass displacement of civilians, civilian casualties, and the destruction of vital infrastructure.”
They added: “We call for the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs to be enabled to operate safely and on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, including the north.”
