#Gaza: Where Starvation of Civilians is a Weapon of War

As of 13 March, at least 31,272 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. About 70% of those killed are reported to be women and children. Another 73,024 Palestinians have been reportedly injured.

UK Components Used to Deliver Weapons

Two organisations working in Gaza, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), have called for an independent investigation into a missile attack on a ‘safe zone’ housing members of their organisations and their families. The airstrike took place on the 18th of January.

UK made components were used in the construction of the F16 used to deliver the missile.

An independent multi-agency investigation by the UN carried out on 19 January found that the airstrike on 18 January 2024 in what was supposed to be a ‘safe zone’ by the Israeli military involved a GBU32 (MK83) missile package. The 1000 lb US-manufactured “smart bomb” was fired from an F16 jet. F16s are manufactured in the US and include parts supplied by the UK.

The residential area provided housing for MAP’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT) and members of MAP’s local team and their family members.

The coordinates of the accommodation had been shared with the Israeli military through the UN deconfliction process, which is supposed to provide additional protection for humanitarian personnel in Gaza.

IRC and MAP repeated their urgent call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza to prevent further harm to civilians and to allow their teams to access and assist those in desperate need. International law prohibiting attacks on aid workers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure must also be upheld, and those responsible for violations held accountable.

Highland Council Votes for Immediate Ceasefire

Highland Council added its voice to the growing calls for an immediate ceasefire from Scotland’s Local Authorities. Shetland Islands Council has also voted in support of a ceasefire : 1.17 million face “emergency” levels of food insecurity, for another 500,000 it is “catastrophic” #Gaza

people attending the vigil are in front of the cathedral as we look up through a mass of names of some of those killed posted into the ground in front of them

a group of people with flags of Palestine and Peace , banners calling for a ceasefire

Islanders in Orkney will again meet on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral between 1 and 2pm on Saturday 16th March. Despite there being two Scottish Green Party councillors on Orkney Islands Council, there are no moves or interest shown by any of Orkney’s councillors in bringing forward a ceasefire motion. Alistair Carmichael, LibDem MP for Orkney & Shetland has attended 1 of the vigils and will be speaking at a public meeting on 28th of March MPs to hold Public Meeting in Orkney About #Gaza. No other elected politicians have joined the vigil.

Environmental Catastrophe

Unexploded weapons are lying in the rubble of Gaza. The environmental consequences of sewers and wells, causing waste to mix with water sources and flow on streets, has enabled the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera. Effluent has been flowing directly into the Mediterranean Sea since October.

Over 100 historical and cultural sites have been destroyed including mosques, churches, libraries, publishing houses, museums and monuments.

Friends of the Earth Palestine (PENGON), has a network of 15 environmental groups in Gaza and the West Bank. . Islam Ali, a PENGON worker, was killed by an Israeli air strike in October: she was sheltering in southern Gaza having already displaced from her home at the Al-Shati Refugee Camp. A further four PENGON staff in Gaza have since been killed by bombing, as of January 2024.

Aid Distribution

Efforts to secure a new maritime aid route from Cyprus to Gaza continued on Friday as the NGO ship Open Arms moved closer to the Gaza coastline. It is carrying 200 tonnes of relief supplies. Delivery of the supplies can go ahead once a jetty is built south of Gaza City. This involves UN-partner World Central Kitchen and the search-and-rescue charity Open Arms, in coordination with the Israeli authorities and international partners.

The U.S. military intends delivering two million meals a day by ship to Gaza via a temporary floating structure which has yet to be built.

Although new aid routes by sea and airdrops are welcome, UN relief agencies have insisted repeatedly that they are no substitute for supplies transported by land.

It is very dangerous, however, for people going out to get food and supplies from Aid Trucks. Six Palestinians were killed in Gaza City and 83 more were wounded as they waited for aid trucks to arrive at Kuwait Roundabout.

Child malnutrition levels in northern Gaza are extreme, with now at least 23 children reported to have died from malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza.

On Wednesday a warehouse and food distribution centre in southern Rafah was bombed. At least one employee of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) was killed and 22 others were injured.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that the warehouse hit in the Israeli attack was located in eastern Rafah and was one of the agency’s “very few remaining” distribution points.

He said:

“Food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine. ”

As with the missile attack on the Medical Aid for Palestinians Facility in January the coordinates of the facility had been shared with all parties to the war.

Graphic photos from the warehouse showed a box of supplies covered with blood near the entrance to the facility. Despite the attack UNRWA continued to send out supplies from the facility.

At least 165 UNRWA team members have been killed while in the line of duty in Gaza since 7 October. More than 150 facilities have been hit, among them many schools.

As of 13 March, up to 1.7 million people (over 75% of the population) have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times. Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent weeks, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south. 

As of 13 March, at least 31,272 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. About 70 per cent of those killed are reported to be women and children. Another 73,024 Palestinians have been reportedly injured.

You can watch the latest film by Mike Robertson for The Orkney News, of the vigils here:

On the flags are written the names of people, many of whom are children, killed. Two names are written on most of the flags. It also includes 1 Israeli soldier, a hostage, journalists, a cameraman, doctors, a nurse and a UK Aid worker. Aaron Bushnell of the US Air Force is also commemorated who gave his life in protest at his country’s involvement in the genocide taking place in Gaza.

Fiona Grahame