Israel's plan to occupy Gaza risks 'another horrific chapter': UN official

ISTANBUL

A top UN official warned Sunday that Israel's plan to occupy Gaza risks triggering "another horrific chapter," with consequences extending beyond Israel and Palestine.

Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told an emergency UN Security Council meeting that the Israeli government's latest decision represents "yet another dangerous escalation of the conflict."

"If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacements, killings and destruction, compounding the unbearable suffering of the population," he said.

Jenca called for an immediate permanent ceasefire, unconditional hostage releases, and implementation of the two-state solution outlined in July's New York Declaration from a UN conference.

Sufferings of Gazans 'nothing short of soul searing'

UN humanitarian coordinator Ramesh Rajasingham described the situation as no longer a looming crisis but active starvation, with hunger-related deaths rising among children.

"Since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, the health authorities in Gaza have documented the deaths of 98 children from severe acute malnutrition – 37 since 1 July," he told the council.

Rajasingham said almost everyone in Gaza has been forcibly displaced, with Palestinians forced into areas that amount to less than 14% of the territory, lacking basic services. Eleven percent of 6,500 households surveyed live in the open without shelter as winter approaches, he said.

"The suffering endured in Gaza of the past 22 months has been nothing short of soul searing," he said. "Our shared humanity demands that this unacceptable catastrophe is brought to an immediate end."

On Friday Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “gradual plan” to fully occupy Gaza and displace Palestinians from the north to the south.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its deadly war on Gaza, where it has killed more than 61,000 people since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.