Ambassador Almassri condemns Israeli humanitarian aid ambush massacre

By Allan Mbotshwa

Ambassador of the state of Palestine Dr. Tamer Almassri condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli occupation forces’ massacre of the staving Palestinian civilians waiting for the arrival of humanitarian aid trucks at the AL Nabulsi Roundabout in Gaza this morning and demands an immediate ceasefire as the only way to protect civilians.

The attack left at least 150 martyrs and over 1000 wounded. Israel had premeditated intent to commit this horrific massacre, executing the victims deliberately within the framework of genocide and ethnic cleansing of the residents of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army was aware that these victims had come to this area to obtain food and aid, yet they killed them in cold blood. Israel is intentionally starving Palestinians and should be held accountable for war crimes and genocide. Hunger and severe malnutrition are widespread in the Gaza Strip, where about 2.2 million Palestinians are facing severe shortages resulting from Israel destroying food supplies and severely restricting the flow of food, medicines, and other humanitarian supplies.

This heinous massacre proves once again that the Israeli government does not give any attention to international law which demands the protection of civilians. The latest massacre is new evidence of genocide and the occupation policy to forcefully displace our people.

The worsening and continuing suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli apartheid state reflects a moral and legal failure of the global system and of the countries that claim to be committed to peace, the two-state solution, and the principles of human rights.

The number of civilians killed since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza on October 7 has risen to 30,000 (70% are women and children),7000 are still under the rubble and 70,215 others were injured. Over 135 journalists and 152 UN staff have been killed, and 90% of Gaza homes, government offices, UN facilities, and hospitals have been destroyed.