Gaza Herald- A month has passed since the announcement of the “ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip, yet Israel continues to carry out acts of mass killing against Palestinian civilians through multiple methods. The blockade and military restrictions continue to impose life-threatening conditions on two million Palestinians, depriving them of the chance to recover from the humanitarian disaster that has lasted more than 25 months, all while the international community remains silent and powerless to protect them or ensure justice.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) confirmed in a statement on Monday that it documented ongoing deliberate killings by the Israeli occupation army over the past four weeks. On average, eight Palestinians are killed daily under the comprehensive blockade, which includes deliberate starvation, denial of basic survival means, halted reconstruction, restrictions on movement, denial of medical care to the sick and wounded, and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. These acts continue the pattern of mass killing and systemic oppression of Gaza’s population.
Systematic Destruction and Daily Killings
Euro-Med emphasized that the Israeli army continues to violate the ceasefire daily through airstrikes, artillery fire, and shootings, alongside the destruction of homes and buildings, particularly in eastern Khan Younis and Gaza City. These actions reflect a coordinated approach to destroying essential infrastructure and denying residents their most basic rights, in blatant violation of international law.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 242 Palestinians have been killed, including 85 children, averaging more than eight deaths per day, while approximately 619 others were wounded, exceeding 20 injuries daily. This stark reality underscores that Israel has not ceased its systematic targeting and killing of Palestinians.
Exploiting the Ceasefire: Control and Starvation
In the absence of any effective international monitoring mechanism, Israel continues its violations on the ground. Areas under Israeli military control, covering over 50% of the Gaza Strip, remain excluded from ceasefire obligations, with Israel conducting demolition and destruction operations even in the absence of active combat.
Euro-Med warned that Israel is using the ceasefire to reshape Gaza’s geography, consolidating control over areas it occupies while continuing to destroy the living environment. These violations are not incidental; they transform the truce into a tool for extending domination and executing long-term systematic destruction.
Additionally, Israel maintains its policy of managed starvation, having obstructed approximately 70% of the aid expected under the ceasefire agreement. The blockade controls the flow and quality of essential goods, such as meat and dairy, while flooding the markets with low-nutrition alternatives, keeping residents in a chronic state of hunger. This deliberate deprivation affects health, yet signs of malnutrition may not always be visible.
The World Food Program reported on November 7 that hunger in Gaza has reached devastating levels, with child malnutrition rising by 20% compared to the previous year and routine vaccinations missing for one in five children due to the collapse of the health system.
Obstructed Movement and Health Crises
Israel continues to close the Rafah crossing, paralyzing civilian movement, including that of patients and the wounded, while delaying the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. These actions are not isolated incidents; they reflect a coordinated policy by Israel’s political and military leadership to exploit the ceasefire as a cover to continue the mass killing, starvation, and systematic destruction of Gaza’s population, all under the shadow of international inaction.
Euro-Med highlighted that the most dangerous aspect of the current situation is the fragmentation of Gaza into isolated, uninhabitable zones. This engineered division threatens permanent geographic and demographic fragmentation, forcing residents toward displacement as the only means of survival.
International Accountability and Urgent Action Needed
The continued silence and inaction of the international community provide Israel with a de facto cover to continue committing genocide, even at a slow pace, as part of a deliberate policy to eliminate Palestinian existence in Gaza. Euro-Med called on the international community to take immediate and practical steps to protect Palestinian civilians, ensure a full Israeli withdrawal, end the illegal siege, and reopen all crossings for people and goods, including patients and the wounded, under UN supervision.
It also urged ensuring the safe, sufficient, and regular entry of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, fuel, and materials to restore health and service facilities, and preventing Israel from manipulating or obstructing aid delivery. Euro-Med stressed the need for the safe return of all forcibly displaced Palestinians to their homes and neighborhoods and opposed any schemes that seek to impose permanent displacement or “humanitarian zones” in place of their original communities.
Furthermore, the organization called for deploying an effective international mission under UN auspices to monitor Israeli conduct, document violations, and provide a protective presence that limits attacks on civilians and infrastructure. States were urged to halt arms exports and military cooperation with Israel to avoid complicity in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Finally, Euro-Med demanded supporting International Criminal Court investigations, implementing relevant International Court of Justice rulings, exercising national jurisdiction to prosecute perpetrators, and establishing an international compensation and reconstruction mechanism to repair civilian damage and rebuild homes and vital infrastructure without reproducing Israeli control over resources, crossings, or movement.
