The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdallah Abu Shawesh, has disclosed that no fewer than 7,028 Palestinians, including 2,913 children, have been killed in the ongoing war in Gaza, and more than 1,500 missing under the rubbles, while about 20,000 civilians have sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The ambassador made the disclosure in Kaduna yesterday during an interactive press conference he addressed shortly after his visit to Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi.
This is just as Sheikh Gumi, who is the convener of the interactive session, described the war in Gaza as an unfortunate humanitarian crisis.
He urged the United Nations to, as a matter of urgency, stop the invasion of Palestine, just as he asked the Nigerian government to emulate India, by providing aid to the victims.
The Palestinian Ambassador also said that the death toll in the occupied West Bank had reached 104 and 900 sustained various levels of injuries, while 73 of the health workers were killed and 100 injured.
Ambassador Shawesh also said that no fewer than 1.4 million people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip, while more than 181,000 housing units had been damaged, including more than 27,781 housing units completely destroyed.
According to the Ambassador, “The war didn’t start on October 7 as Israel and the occupation club would like everyone to believe; it started a long time ago, and on the day before, Friday October 6, Israel killed seven innocent Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.
“All problem solving theory is steering towards tackling the roots of the problem, not to deal with its symptoms. This is exactly what the UN secretary general did when he said what happened on October 7 didn’t come from the vacuum.
“Since October 7, the Israeli occupation forces launched a wide and frenzy war against the Palestinian people in occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem; in this regard, here are some statistical figures that shed a bit of light on the unfolding crime of genocide: the total number of martyrs since October 7th till 26th reached 7,028 Palestinians, 2,913 of them are children, 281 undefined, while around 20,000 civilians sustained various levels of injuries and more than 15 hundred are missing under the rubbles.
“The death toll in the occupied West Bank reached 104 and 900 sustained various levels of injuries. Seventy-three health workers were killed, while 100 were injured. Twelve hospitals and 32 health centres are of service due to direct attacks or running out of fuel. Twenty-five ambulances became out of service due to the Israeli attacks.
“Some of the weapons used by the occupying power melt the skin of the people, and need special treatment that is not found in Gaza. Surgical operations were performed without anesthesia using the light of telephones, and the wounded were treated on the floor of the corridors due to crowded hospitals, with the lack of hygiene and clean drinking water, many diseases began to appear, such as smallpox, scabies, and diarrhea.
He further disclosed that in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces had executed 91 Palestinians since October 7, many of them children, with 6,500 Palestinians detained since the beginning of this year, among them 1,215 since October.
“We strongly condemn the brazen and unjustified campaign launched by Israeli leaders and their Western supporters against the secretary-general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, for telling the truth about what is happening in Gaza. This also falls within the policy of silencing, intimidation and terrorism that Israel pursues against everyone who criticises its criminal behaviour and demands the implementation of the International humanitarian law.
“Yesterday, the Israeli air force deliberately attacked Al Jazeera correspondent Wael Al-Dahdouh’s home and killed his wife and two of his children. I would like to remind you all that one and half years ago, the Israeli occupation army deliberately assassinated his colleague, Shireen Abu Akleh, in the occupied West Bank. This is another attempt from Israel to stifle the voice of truth.
“The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory acknowledged the responsibility of the Israeli occupation army for the martyrdom of Palestinian journalist Sherine Abu Aqla,” the Ambassador said.
On his part, Sheikh Gumi said there was no reason why the world powers should not come to the aid of the Palestinians to stop the Israeli apartheid nation in its war against humanity, adding that the conflict is far beyond religion but a war against humanity.
Also speaking at the event, Senator Shehu Sani said it is a payback time for Nigeria and the rest of Africa to support Palestine in their trying moment against what he described as international conspiracy, as Palestine had at different times supported African countries against colonialism.
Religious leaders from both Muslim and Christian faiths present at the event called for unity among Nigerian Muslims and Christians, even as they pointed out the war between Israel and Palestine is not a religious one.
