Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh Urges Urgent ICJ Decision to Halt Israel’s Aggression on Gaza
Ramallah – Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has emphasized the pressing need for an immediate intervention from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to put an end to Israel’s relentless aggression against the Gaza Strip. In an ongoing conflict that has spanned over 100 days, the people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering, including ethnic cleansing, genocide, starvation, abuse, torture, and daily loss of life. The casualties have already amounted to nearly 100,000 individuals, both dead and injured.
During the weekly Cabinet session in Ramallah, Prime Minister Shtayyeh expressed his hope that the ICJ’s decision would be based on international law and humanitarian principles, emphasizing the urgency of halting the aggression before the judges are replaced by the end of this month.
It has been 101 days since the Gaza Strip was plunged into darkness without electricity, with water supply cut off, access to medicine and communication blocked, and a horrific death toll that includes innocent children, women, and the elderly. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million people have been displaced from their homes, left to suffer the consequences, highlighted Shtayyeh.
The Prime Minister demanded an immediate cessation of the aggression against the Palestinian people, urging the provision of sufficient food and humanitarian aid. He further called for the restoration of the power station and water network that have been severely damaged.
Addressing Israel’s deduction of funds from the Palestinian clearing fund, Shtayyeh asserted that the withheld funds should instead be directed towards Palestinian families affected by the ongoing conflict, including the families of those who have lost their lives and those who are imprisoned by Israel. Refusing to accept insufficient funds, he insisted on the transfer of the full amounts owed.
Shtayyeh also called upon the United States, Europe, and Israel’s sponsors to move beyond political appeasement and enforce sanctions against Israel, which has displayed a blatant disregard for international calls for peace. He underscored the importance of holding Israel accountable for its actions and ensuring that the country bears the full responsibility for the destruction caused in the Gaza Strip.
The Prime Minister expressed his hope that international press would be granted access to Gaza so that the crimes committed there could be documented. Israel has persistently denied entry to the international press, hindering the dissemination of information regarding the severity of the situation.
He further urged the Red Cross to exert all possible pressure to locate detainees held by Israel in undisclosed locations. A significant number of detainees have died in custody, and their conditions remain unknown. Shtayyeh stressed the significance of publicly disclosing their status and monitoring the treatment of prisoners across Israeli detention centers, where approximately 9,000 Palestinians are currently held under conditions that can only be described as inhumane.
The Prime Minister praised the resilience of the Palestinian people, acknowledging their determination in the face of gruesome acts committed against them. He highlighted the relentless pursuit of justice in cities, villages, refugee camps, and Jerusalem, where Palestinians continue to endure killings, destruction of infrastructure, land seizures, property demolitions, settler violence, and attacks on educational institutions, with the most recent occurrence at An-Najah University in Nablus.
The Cabinet’s weekly session revolved around monitoring the aggression against the Palestinians in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The session also focused on the implementation of a reform plan presented to the international community, which has received widespread support.
Although acknowledging that these efforts may serve as a temporary resolution due to the hindrance of a political pathway to end the occupation and halt aggression, Shtayyeh emphasized that the reforms were in the best interest of the Palestinian people, who initially spearheaded the initiative.
Israel’s policies and actions have signaled a deliberate attempt to dismantle the Palestinian Authority (PA), viewing it as a national enemy. Shtayyeh emphasized that the strength and legitimacy of the PA come from the people and their unwavering belief in their right to end the occupation and establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
As tensions escalate and the suffering of Palestinians continues unabated, the international community faces the urgency of addressing the pressing humanitarian crisis and working toward a just and lasting resolution to the conflict.
Keywords: Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, International Court of Justice (ICJ), Gaza Strip, Israel’s aggression, ethnic cleansing, genocide, starvation, abuse, torture, daily killing, Palestinian people, humanitarian aid, power station, water network, Israeli deductions, funds, United States, Europe, Israel’s sponsors, sanctions, international courts, destruction, international press, Red Cross, detainees, inhuman conditions, Palestinian Authority (PA), reform plan, occupation, Jerusalem.
