UN Rapporteur Criticizes Israel's Treatment of Palestinians During Storm
Devastating Impact of the Storm in Gaza
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine, has accused Israel of treating the lives of Palestinians as "expendable," linking the devastating effects of a deadly storm in Gaza to the deliberate destruction of the enclave's infrastructure. Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, Albanese stated that the meteorological disaster highlighted Israel's negligence towards the survival of civilians. "It is shocking even for me, standing so far away. ... Their lives seem like a hell," Albanese remarked, reacting to testimonies from families trapped in mud and darkness as their makeshift shelters collapsed. "You can hear family members ... searching for relatives buried under rubble as damaged buildings fell on them due to the intensity of the rain."
Human-Generated Vulnerability
While the storm is a natural event, humanitarian officials assert that its deadliness is politically driven. James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, confirmed that seven children died due to the cold temperatures, emphasizing their deaths were not solely due to the cold but also due to "human-generated resource shortages" that left them without resilience. "Two- or three-year-old children have severely compromised immune systems," Elder explained. "In discussing the extremely difficult situation, we underline that Israel continues to block the entry of cooking gas and necessary fuel for heating, leaving vulnerable families exposed to winds that, according to experts, exceeded 100 kilometers per hour."
"Expendable" Lives and Lack of Humanitarian Response
When asked about the absence of a humanitarian response and Israel's decision to sever ties with UN agencies during times of crisis, Albanese was direct. "Israel, in general, does not care about the lives of Palestinians. On the contrary, they regard them as 'expendable' and believe they can be destroyed," she stated. She also highlighted the complicity of the international community, which focuses on other global conflicts while ignoring the "genocide" that has left the Gaza population exposed without shelter, electricity, or drainage systems. "What more do we need to see? What have we not witnessed yet?" she asked.
Call for an Arms Embargo
Albanese insisted that the sending of aid, often blocked, is no longer a sufficient response to such catastrophes. She called for immediate punitive measures against Israel to force a change in its policies. "States must sever trade ties, impose an arms export embargo, and cease normal relations with Israel," she asserted.
Storm-Like Winds
The vulnerability of the population was highlighted by Khaled Saleh, a senior meteorologist at Al Jazeera. He explained that the depression brought polar winds reaching speeds characteristic of tropical storms. "These winds can uproot trees, ... so imagine what they can do to worn tents," Saleh stated, emphasizing that the lack of infrastructure has resulted in water having nowhere to go but into the shelters of displaced Palestinians.
