ANKARA

Residents of the Jabalia refugee camp have been deprived of essential food and water supplies for the seventh consecutive day as Israeli military offensives continue to intensify in the northern Gaza Strip, the spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza said on Saturday.

In a video statement, spokesperson Mahmoud Basal highlighted the dire situation facing approximately 200,000 citizens in the Jabalia area.

"Residents have been without food or water for over a week, struggling to survive as the Israeli aggression shows no signs of abating," Basal stated.

The Civil Defense spokesperson reiterated the urgent need for a humanitarian corridor to allow aid to reach those in desperate need.

"We are witnessing a humanitarian disaster unfolding before our eyes, and we must act now to save lives," Basal added.

Since Oct. 6, the Israeli army has imposed a tight siege on Jabalia, following an unprecedented escalation of violence in northern Gaza.

This marks the third ground operation by the Israeli army in Jabalia since the onset of the ongoing war on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 42,200 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 98,300 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi