Gaza: Director-General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Ismail Al Thawabta, has disclosed that 80 percent of Palestinians killed while waiting for or receiving aid in the Gaza Strip are young people, as per the mechanism enforced by Israeli occupation forces.
According to Qatar News Agency, Al Thawabta described the situation as another chapter of genocide that requires independent international investigation. He highlighted that the figures reveal a selective crime targeting the future of the Palestinian people, with 80 percent of the aid martyrs being young people, 14 percent children, 3 percent women, and 3 percent elderly. He emphasized that these statistics indicate a systematic murder targeting the Palestinian social fabric, rather than collateral or random damage.
Al Thawabta further explained that the reality of aid distribution, approximately 45 days after implementing the Israeli standards, resembles a policy of mass killing disguised as humanitarian work. Since the mechanism's inception, around 773 Palestinians have been martyred, over 5,000 injured, and 39 remain missing. He stressed that the aid has become a death trap, luring the starving into dangerous areas.
He criticized the manner in which aid is provided, stating it lacks humanitarian and ethical standards as materials are placed in exposed and dangerous zones. This practice results in mass gatherings of civilians in areas prepared for systematic targeting. Al Thawabta warned of the severe impact on Gaza's social and psychological fabric, describing the situation as a deadly humanitarian ambush and noting the double shock of hunger and fear of death among residents.
Families have reportedly lost children while attempting to obtain aid, leading to a loss of confidence in international relief efforts. Al Thawabta emphasized the legal and moral responsibility of the American and Israeli authorities overseeing this aid model, which he described as a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.
In response to the crisis, Gaza's competent authorities are monitoring the situation, documenting casualties, and working to raise international awareness. Al Thawabta urged Palestinians to avoid random drop-off areas and mentioned efforts to secure safe food alternatives through collaboration with humanitarian and UN institutions. Despite reaching out to various international bodies, he noted inadequate responses characterized by evasion and diplomatic language.
In his concluding remarks to QNA, Al Thawabta called for an immediate halt to the deadly aid mechanism, accountability for those responsible, and the establishment of safe alternative humanitarian mechanisms for aid distribution.
The Israeli-American aid distribution mechanism has faced widespread criticism and international rejection for lacking humanitarian standards and endangering civilian lives amidst ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip.