Gaza Herald – The Gaza Center for Human Rights said that Israel has systematically and continuously undermined the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip over the past six months, stripping it of its practical value and reducing it to a formal framework that fails to protect civilians or ensure basic living conditions.
In a statement issued Friday, the center said its field team has documented ongoing Israeli violations in a systematic manner, including direct military attacks and airstrikes, as well as restrictive policies that have worsened the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
According to the center, since the agreement came into effect, 743 Palestinians have been killed, including 205 children, 86 women, and 21 elderly people, in addition to 2,036 injuries. Violations have included gunfire, bombardment, incursions, and the demolition of homes, averaging 13.1 breaches per day.
The statement added that Israeli forces have not adhered to agreed withdrawal lines, continuing to impose de facto control by fire over an estimated 34 square kilometers outside the agreed zones, including what is referred to as the “yellow line.” This has restricted civilian movement, endangered lives, and prevented safe access to agricultural land and sources of livelihood.
The center further noted that the “yellow line” has been expanded at least tenfold over the past six months, resulting in effective control over more than 54% of Gaza’s total area. Within these areas, Israeli occupation forces have continued destruction operations, established military positions, and enabled locally backed armed groups to operate from these areas and launch attacks against Palestinian civilians and property.
On the humanitarian level, the center said Israel continues to violate the humanitarian protocol, particularly regarding aid entry. While the agreement stipulates the entry of 600 trucks daily, the actual number has not exceeded 39% of that figure. Fuel entry has dropped to just 14.9% of required levels, severely disrupting essential services such as electricity, water, and sanitation, and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
The center also expressed strong concern over what it described as misleading statements by Peace Council High Commissioner Nikolay Mladenov, who claimed that 602 trucks entered Gaza on Thursday. Field data, however, indicates that only 207 trucks were allowed in, highlighting a significant gap between official statements and on-the-ground realities. The discrepancy, the center said, undermines trust in international monitoring mechanisms and raises serious questions about their effectiveness in addressing violations or improving the humanitarian situation.
Additionally, the center reported that Israeli authorities continue to obstruct operations at the Rafah crossing and impose arbitrary restrictions on movement, particularly affecting patients and the wounded. Compliance with facilitating travel has not exceeded 25%, effectively keeping the crossing closed and hindering medical evacuations, in violation of the right to health and life.
The healthcare system in Gaza is also experiencing rapid collapse due to shortages of medical supplies and the ban on essential equipment, compounded by the overwhelming number of casualties. At the same time, Israeli forces continue demolishing homes and infrastructure, obstructing reconstruction efforts, and preventing the entry of necessary materials.
The center further noted restrictions imposed on the work of local and international organizations, including preventing some from registering and obstructing the administrative committee tasked with managing the sector’s affairs, despite its limited authority. This, it said, undermines efforts to organize humanitarian response and restore basic services.
The Gaza Center for Human Rights concluded that these accumulated violations constitute serious breaches of the ceasefire agreement and international humanitarian law, demonstrating a lack of intent by Israel to comply with its commitments.
It called on the international community, the United Nations, and the parties sponsoring the agreement to assume their legal and moral responsibilities, take urgent and effective measures to halt these violations, ensure adequate aid delivery, lift restrictions on Gaza, and provide international protection for civilians.
The center also urged independent investigations into the documented violations, accountability for those responsible, and serious efforts to enforce the ceasefire agreement in a way that guarantees the dignity and fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.
