Palestinian UN Envoy Says Israel Committing 'Genocide Within Genocide' in North Gaza
Facts
- Palestine's deputy permanent observer to the UN, Majed Bamya, claimed that Israeli operations in and around the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza — on its 10th day on Sunday — are 'genocide within the genocide' in a post on X.[1]
- Gaza authorities said that at least 200 Palestinians have been killed during the offensive, including about two dozen over the weekend. Israel had issued new evacuation orders for the north of the Strip, but Gaza and UN officials pushed back against the orders on the grounds that there are no safe areas in the enclave.[1][2][3]
- The UN estimates that around 400K people are currently trapped in the ruins of their neighborhoods and homes in northern Gaza amid renewed fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas in Jabalia.[4][5][6]
- According to the UN World Food Programme, no food aid has reached northern Gaza since Oct. 1 — and it's unclear how long the last food supplies will last. On Friday, UN officials expressed concerns that the situation in northern Gaza could affect the second phase of its polio vaccination campaign set to start this week.[5][7]
- This comes as an UN commission of inquiry said in a new report that Israeli attacks on Gaza's health care system and treatment of detainees amount to war crimes and the crime of extermination, and that Hamas and its allied militant groups committed war crimes and crimes against humanity for their treatment of hostages.[8][9]
- The 24-page report, which doesn't have the force of law, calls on Gaza authorities and Israel to immediately stop wrongdoing. It will be presented to the UN General Assembly on Oct. 30 in New York.[8][9]
Sources: [1]Al Jazeera, [2]Jerusalem Post, [3]The Times of Israel, [4]Financial Times, [5]Guardian, [6]Almayadeen, [7]Reuters, [8]CNN and [9]OHCHR.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Though the situation in the region continues to escalate, the US has stood firm in its role as a mediator. Israel has every right to respond to the daily terror attacks it has seen since Oct. 7. However, it's in no one's interest for tensions to explode into a wider regional war. The US will continue to work toward regional stability.
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Tabletmag. Amid ongoing terror from Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran, the world has turned its back on Israel. Whole stretches of the region have been taken hostage by Iran-backed terror groups while Israel is fighting to liberate the Middle East. Indeed, Israel does not only have a right to defend itself — it has a right to win.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Israel is bombing several countries in the Middle East yet continues to play the victim. As it commits genocide in Gaza and works to destroy Lebanon — all in the name of 'remaking the Middle East' — it will only create more problems for itself. Indeed, Israel's aggression is only strengthening the resolve of its enemies and pushing the civilian population into their arms.