WANA (Apr 03) – The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the continuation of Israel’s attacks and crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, especially during the days of Eid al-Fitr. These include the targeted assassination of journalists, deliberate attacks on medical personnel and healthcare centers, and assaults by extremist Israeli settlers on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

 

Ismail Baqaei, referring to a recent report by the UN Human Rights Council‘s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, which called for pressure on Israel to stop using starvation and famine as tools of genocide, emphasized the responsibility of UN human rights mechanisms in this regard. He also expressed regret over the inaction of certain Western countries, including the UK, Canada, Germany, and France, regarding systematic and gross violations of human rights and humanitarian laws in occupied Palestine. He described this as a clear sign of these countries’ insincerity toward human rights and the rule of law.

 

Baqaei further highlighted the shared responsibility of all governments under international law to prevent and combat heinous crimes, including genocide and war crimes. He stated that the ongoing impunity of the Israeli regime is a major factor emboldening its continued killings and occupation in Palestine. He urged all countries, particularly Islamic nations, to stand in solidarity—both verbally and practically—with the oppressed Palestinian people to prevent the ongoing massacre of defenseless Palestinian women and children.

 

UNRWA Chief Warns of Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stated last Friday that no humanitarian aid has entered Gaza for the past three weeks. He warned that “humanity is now in its darkest hour.”

 

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Lazzarini noted that during previous ceasefires, 500 to 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza daily. However, at present, not a single truck is allowed in.

 

He further pointed out that it has now been three weeks since the last aid truck entered Gaza, making it the longest period in which the people of Gaza have been left without any assistance.

 

Lazzarini stressed that Palestinian parents in Gaza are unable to find food for their children, food prices are soaring, hunger is spreading, and patients are left without medicine, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

 

He also referred to the continued brutal bombardment of Gaza by the Zionist regime, stating that last week witnessed the deadliest day in the past year and a half, with more than 500 people, including women, children, and eight UNRWA staff members, killed in the attacks.

 

Lazzarini noted that people in Gaza are desperately searching for a safe place within the besieged territory. In the past three weeks alone, 140,000 Gazans have been forced to flee their homes due to Israeli evacuation orders.

 

He emphasized the urgent need to halt Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, reinstate the ceasefire, and secure the release of all hostages (Israeli prisoners). He also called for an end to the blockade of Gaza and the reopening of border crossings to allow the regular flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.

 

Israel’s War on Gaza: Devastation, Mass Killings, and a Humanitarian Crisis

On October 7, 2023, Israel launched a devastating war against Gaza, resulting in over 50,000 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries. The war has not only led to the widespread destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure—including hospitals, schools, and water and electricity networks—but also caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, severe food shortages, and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

 

Published images from Gaza show completely destroyed residential neighborhoods, long queues of people waiting for scarce humanitarian aid, and hospitals unable to provide medical services due to a lack of medicine and fuel.

 

In January 2025, after weeks of intense mediation involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, a ceasefire agreement was implemented between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups. The agreement included a cessation of hostilities and a prisoner exchange. However, Israel violated its commitments and resumed large-scale attacks against the oppressed Palestinian people in Gaza. The conflict has escalated in recent days, with the number of Palestinian casualties rising rapidly.