UN fears 'already catastrophic' situation in Gaza may slide 'deeper into abyss' during Ramadan

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN human rights office on Friday said that it fears the dire situation in Gaza may grow even worse during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan if Israel attacks the city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge from a months-long military offensive.

"We fear that this already catastrophic situation may slide deeper into the abyss as many Palestinians mark the holy month of Ramadan – a period that is meant to honor peace and tolerance – should Israel launch its threatened military offensive into Rafah, where 1.5 million people have been displaced in deplorable sub-human conditions," spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told a UN briefing in Geneva.

"Any ground assault on Rafah would incur massive loss of life and would heighten the risk of further atrocity crimes," Laurence warned. "This must not be allowed to happen."

The holy month is due to begin next week.

The office also fears, he said, that Israeli restrictions on access by Palestinians to East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan could further "inflame" tensions.

Reiterating human rights chief Volker Turk's call for an immediate end to the conflict, he said: "Killing and destruction must stop."

The hostages being held since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas must be released unconditionally and returned to their distraught families, Laurence added.

Ahead of Ramadan, negotiators have reportedly been working on a deal for both a cease-fire and a release of hostages.

Laurence said: "Israel, as the occupying power, must – we repeat – fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law to provide the increasingly desperate civilian population of Gaza with the necessary food and medical supplies, or, if it is unable to do so, ensure that the population has access to critical life-saving humanitarian assistance commensurate with their needs."

He underscored that to avert "wider starvation and needless suffering," border crossings and corridors must be "fully opened and steps must be taken to ensure the free and secure movement of aid convoys to civilians wherever they are located within the Gaza strip."

Israel has waged a military offensive on the Gaza Strip, now on day 153, since the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people.

Nearly 30,900 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza and nearly 73,000 others injured amid widespread devastation in the coastal enclave. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving much of its population on the verge of starvation.

In an interim ruling in January, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.