GAZA, (PIC)
For five days, Mohammed Al-Far, 55, along with his family, has been trapped at home in the heart of Jabalia Camp, unable to leave due to the fire from Israeli drones, which target anything that moves. Speaking to our reporter over the phone, Mohammed described their dire situation, saying they are experiencing a true genocide. There is no water, no food, and no medicine. “We are dying a thousand times every minute,” he said. “The planes target homes and roads constantly, and there are bodies in the streets that no one can reach.”
He continued, “We are being wiped out in the northern Gaza Strip. The areas are completely surrounded, and anyone who tries to leave is killed in cold blood. Where is the world? Where is the human conscience?”
For the fifth consecutive day, Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out a wide-scale ground assault on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, and Jabalia under a suffocating siege—the third since the start of the assault on Gaza. The situation worsens by the minute, with Israeli forces targeting any movement and preventing the entry of water, food, and medicine supplies to the northern province amidst heavy artillery and air bombardments.
Faiz Abu Sha’irah fled from the remote area of Bir Al-Naja under shelling on the morning of October 6, seeking safety in the center of Jabalia Camp, only to face the same dire conditions inside the camp. He said that death haunts people in the streets, and drones fire at anything that moves. “There are martyrs every moment,” he added.
“We are besieged in Jabalia Camp, and we pray to God to lift this affliction from us. The situation in the north is beyond description: houses are being bombed over the heads of their residents, and bodies lie in the streets and under the rubble. Emergency and civil defense teams are struggling with limited resources, and Israeli forces are directly targeting them,” he said.
He highlighted that the drones have surrounded the northern province, and no one can move. “We don’t know if we will survive; every night is worse than the one before. We are a free people with dignity and a cause. What’s happening to us is a crime—children and women are suffering. We’ve lost everything, but we remain steadfast,” he said.
The Israeli occupation has warned over 200,000 people in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, committing massacres to force them to flee southward, amounting to forced displacement.
A complete siege
The Palestinian Civil Defense stated in a press release that the occupation forces have imposed a complete siege on northern Gaza, isolating it entirely from Gaza City. Since Sunday morning, the Israeli military has prevented the entry of essential supplies into northern Gaza.
Dozens of bodies trapped in the streets
The Civil Defense confirmed that dozens of bodies remain trapped in the streets of northern Gaza, as relentless Israeli bombing makes it impossible to retrieve them. The infrastructure has been devastated, making movement nearly impossible. The evacuation of northern Gaza’s hospitals could lead to the total collapse of the healthcare system, with only a few teams operating in the vicinity of Al-Fakhoura School in Jabalia.
Many injured citizens are trapped inside their homes, sending desperate pleas for help. On the afternoon of October 5, Mohammed Hani and his son were searching for warm clothes in Jabalia market when they were struck by Israeli artillery shells. The blasts shook the ground, terrifying people, who ran for safety. Hani said, “I carried my son and ran in the opposite direction, trying to reach my family. From street to alley, I ran, hoping to save my children. We gathered our belongings and sought shelter, but where can we go?”
This is the third time Israeli forces have invaded northern Gaza, committing horrific massacres. Hani said, “We have been displaced many times, running from the rubble and the bombs. Death surrounds us, and there are dozens of dead and injured in the streets. We have no strength left to carry or assist them.”
Work under extreme danger
Colonel Ahmad Al-Kahlout, Director of Civil Defense in northern Gaza, said, “On the sixth day of the military operation, our civil defense teams continue to work under extreme danger due to the targeting of all areas by the occupation. The siege of Jabalia Camp hinders our ability to reach all targeted areas and homes.” More than 220 people have been killed in the north since the start of the operation, and rescue teams are unable to reach many of the dead and injured.
Unprecedented catastrophe
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in northern Gaza. Israeli forces have imposed a siege on Jabalia Camp and the surrounding areas since the start of the ground offensive. They are committing massacres, forced displacement, and other crimes against humanity.
The Monitor’s report highlights that Israeli forces have tightened their siege on Jabalia Camp and nearby neighborhoods, like Tel Al-Zaatar and Beit Hanoun, while continuing their wide-scale invasion of northern Gaza since last Saturday. The report confirmed that many civilians, including women and children, have been killed or displaced as a result of the intense airstrikes and artillery bombardment.
Israel has also ordered the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, threatening to target it if it is not emptied within 24 hours. This development comes as medical facilities are being overwhelmed, with limited access to supplies, and the health system on the verge of collapse.
The Euro-Mediterranean Monitor called on the United Nations and the international community to intervene immediately to stop the “horrific ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” being carried out by Israel in northern Gaza.
