Ambassador Tamer Almassri has strongly condemned what he described as ongoing Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip, particularly attacks targeting healthcare facilities, medical infrastructure and civilians.
Almassri said the reported killing of 19 Palestinian civilians, including women and children, over the past 24 hours constituted a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law and the ceasefire.
According to the statement, Israeli attacks killed at least 18 Palestinians in Gaza during a 24-hour period, reflecting what Almassri described as a dangerous escalation across the territory.
The ambassador also condemned an Israeli attack on medicine warehouses attached to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, which reportedly destroyed essential medical supplies.
Almassri said the destruction of medical resources was worsening an already critical humanitarian situation, arguing that the continued targeting of healthcare infrastructure was effectively turning access to medicine and treatment into a weapon of war.
Thousands of Palestinians requiring urgent medical treatment outside Gaza also continue to face restrictions on leaving the territory, according to the statement.
The humanitarian situation has meanwhile deteriorated further, with Palestinians facing severe shortages of food, water and medicine amid the continuing blockade and restrictions on humanitarian supplies.
The statement said approximately 1.4 million Palestinians are facing acute food insecurity, while about 74,000 children require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition.
Since October 2023, the cumulative death toll in Gaza has reportedly reached at least 73,375 Palestinians, while 174,162 others have been injured.
The figures remain incomplete, the statement said, as thousands of people are believed to remain trapped beneath rubble and inaccessible to ambulance and rescue teams because of continuing bombardment and shortages of essential rescue equipment.
Almassri called on the international community to urgently assume what he described as its legal and moral responsibilities towards Palestinian civilians.
He urged the international community to exert immediate and decisive pressure on Israel to comply with its obligations under international law and honour ceasefire agreements.
According to the ambassador, such action is necessary to protect Palestinian civilians, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and create conditions for the reconstruction of Gaza.
He warned that failure to act could encourage further violence and accelerate what he described as the annexation of occupied Palestinian territory, while also undermining confidence in the international legal system.
Almassri said the international community must move beyond expressions of concern and take meaningful action to protect civilians, uphold international humanitarian law and ensure accountability for violations.
