By Dr. Najib Ul Haq - Crescent International
According to the Gaza’s Government Media Office, Israeli forces have killed at least 41,870 people, including at least 17,000 children and 11,487 women, since October 7, 2023.
The British Medical Journal, Lancet, in a study published on July 7, 2023 put the death toll at over 186,000.
Even if we take the lower death figure of 41,870, approximately 17,000 children and 11,500 women have been killed.
Thousands of bodies remain trapped under rubble and are certainly dead.
The number of wounded stands at 96,210, of whom 69% are children and women.
Israel has also targeted new-born babies.
At least, 171 new-born babies and 710 infants under the age of one have been killed by Israeli forces.
The zionists have also targeted journalists killing 174 of them with the specific aim of preventing news of the ongoing genocide from being reported in detail to the outside world.
Many children have succumbed to starvation.
Over two million Palestinians have been displaced multiple times within the Gaza Strip, as all routes to the outside world are blocked. To date, 130 mass graves have been discovered.
An estimated 9,500 prisoners in Israeli jails are subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment including torture and rape.
Infrastructure Damage
The extent of infrastructure damage is staggering.
Nearly 80% of buildings in Gaza are either completely or partially destroyed, rendering them uninhabitable.
More than 90 schools and all universities have been destroyed.
An estimated 516,000 residential units have been either fully or partially destroyed.
The war has resulted in damage to or the destruction of nearly two-thirds of homes in Gaza, alongside a devastating impact on 84% of health facilities.
This destruction stems from over 45,000 missiles and bombs dropped by Israel, totaling approximately 85,000 tons of explosives—more than six times the amount used in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
The destruction has resulted in an estimated 26 million tons of debris and rubble. Assessments indicate that the damage is at least $18.5 billion, as reported by the Arab Center for Washington DC.
The report also notes that of the 45,000 bombs dropped on Gaza, approximately 9% to 14% are unexploded.
In early May 2024, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimated that it would take at least 14 years to clear Gaza of explosive remnants of war.
Additionally, a Reuters report of May 2 highlighted that rebuilding Gaza’s shattered homes could take until at least 2040, with the possibility of the process extending for many decades, as mentioned in the UN report.
However, while addressing the US Congress on July 24, 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated, “The day after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza can emerge. My vision for that day is of a demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza.”
Arms supplies to Israel
The Gaza Strip has become a “testing laboratory” for ammunition suppliers and manufacturers.
SIPRI estimates that in the five-year period 2019–23, Israel was the world’s 15th largest importer of major arms, accounting for 2.1 per cent of global arms imports in the period.
Although only three countries were major suppliers of arms to Israel in 2019–23, the United States, Germany and Italy, many others supplied military components, ammunition or services.
The US has been by far the biggest supplier of weapons to Israel accounting for 69% of Israel’s arms imports.
As of June 28, the Biden regime has sent a significant amount of munitions to Israel since October of last year, including at least 14,000 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 bombs weighing 500 pounds, 3,000- Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs, and 2,600 air-dropped small-diameter bombs, among other munitions (reported by Reuters).
There are also reports that white phosphorus has been used as a chemical weapon, which is restricted under international humanitarian law.
What does the future hold?
Israel has already expanded the war beyond Palestine to neighboring countries, which could be a precursor to another global conflict.
This heralds a precarious future as the world stands on the brink of catastrophic destruction.
It has now become essential to reconsider the framework of international relations in accordance with human dignity, justice, and ethics.
New rules of war need to be established, along with a practical method to enforce them.
Global laws can no longer be under the influence of human predators who have endangered the very foundation of humanity.
While economic imbalance, poverty, and environmental issues are undoubtedly important, the immediate and foremost priority in the current situation is the protection of humanity and human beings. Countries must now take decisive action.
Failure to do so will lead to the law of the jungle engulfing everyone, resulting in a devastating future for all.
All countries must commit to a new international organization grounded in principles of justice, morality and humanity, rather than based on economic superiority, race, color, or geography.
If the United Nations is to be retained, it must be restructured to reflect these foundational values.
Now is the time to act.
It is everyone’s responsibility to recognize the urgency of the moment.
It is “now or never.”
This critical turning point in history has become a matter of life and death for the overwhelming majority in the world.
It can only be addressed through a unified strategy and action.
Dr Najib Ul-Haq retired as professor of medicine from Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Benjamin NetanyahuGenocide in GazaIsraeli crimesJoe BidenUS regime
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