NEW YORK, (PIC)
UN rapporteurs have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip to evade further loss of life in lines of civilians in the enclave.
They said in a statement on Wednesday that Israel must immediately cease fire in Gaza and embark on concrete humanitarian measures that prioritize the needs of Palestinian women and girls in accordance with the International Court of Justice’s ruling of 26 January 2024.
“At this stage of the conflict, there is an urgent and growing need to address the near total disruption of schooling, massive destruction of housing, lack of access to reproductive health care and supplies, and heightened risk of arbitrary detention and violence, including gender-based violence, faced by women and girls in Gaza and the West Bank,” the UN experts added.
The statement said, “We express alarm at the severely limited access to medical treatment and essential supplies in hospitals, and reports of pregnant mothers having caesarean sections and injured children undergoing amputations without anesthesia”.
The experts called on Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire and take all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties and displacement from Gaza, as well as to establish a field hospital at the Rafah Crossing to provide medical assistance for emergencies.
It also demanded Israel to build additional shelters and schools in Gaza so that educational facilities are no longer used as shelters and girls can resume their education.
The UN experts said Israel must provide safe spaces and reparations for women and girls who have survived or are at risk of gender-based violence in Gaza and the West Bank and ensure accountability for those who perpetrate violence against them, including Israeli authorities and settlers.
