Israel has destroyed more than half of the Gaza Strip, claiming it is “destroying terrorist infrastructure.” However, the destruction is apparently indiscriminate, according to reports.
EU member Belgium has announced that it will summon the Israeli ambassador after an Israeli airstrike bombed and destroyed the office building of the Belgian Agency for Development and Cooperation (Enabel) in the Gaza Strip.
This decision was communicated by Belgian Foreign Minister Haja Rabib via X.
“Targeting civilian buildings is unacceptable,” she said in a post to X.
Gaza Strip Bombing and Destruction Development Authority, Development Authority.
Citizen surveillance is unacceptable.
Avec @carogenneznous convoquons l’ambassadrice d’Israël pour Faire toute la clarté. pic.twitter.com/uj5NUXp6ni
— Hadjalahbib (@hadjalahbib) February 1, 2024
Israel has repeatedly targeted residential and civilian buildings in its ongoing bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 100,000 Palestinians dead or injured.
More than 60% of Gaza’s homes are now destroyed or damaged, and Israel has left 8 million tons of debris behind, which will take three years to clear, according to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Enerbel director Jan van Vetter told X that the agency’s offices in Gaza were “destroyed in yesterday’s bombing.”
“We at Enabel are shocked. As a government agency acting in the public interest within the framework of international humanitarian law, this is unacceptable,” he added.
He attached two photos to his statement, one showing the building that housed the agency’s offices before the bombing, and the other showing a pile of rubble.
our office is #Gaza It was completely destroyed in yesterday’s bombing. Attacking civilian buildings is absolutely unacceptable. We are all shocked by Enabel. As a government agency acting in the public interest within the framework of international humanitarian law, we cannot accept this. pic.twitter.com/Q0GPw6yXso
— Jean Van Wetter (@jeanvanwetter) February 1, 2024
In October, Israeli forces concentrated air strikes and ground operations in northern Gaza, including Gaza City, before advancing further south, where fighting has now intensified in Khan Yunis, the second largest city in the besieged area.
Israeli military operations in November destroyed 37,379 buildings, or 18% of all buildings in the Gaza Strip, according to a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report released on Wednesday.
Since then, report co-author Rami al-Azza has told Agence France-Presse that satellite data shows destruction has more than doubled, adding: “The new data shows that 50 This shows that % have been affected.” Or destroyed. ”
Rebuilding Gaza will take decades and require massive foreign aid – United Nations
Notably, the agency’s offices are located in a building on Victor Hugo Street in the Al Rimal district of central Gaza City.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 27,019 Palestinians have been killed and 66,139 injured in the Israeli massacre in Gaza, which has continued since October 7.
According to Palestinian and international estimates, the majority of casualties are women and children.
(PC, memo)