The Israeli military forces have recently intensified its policy of closure of borders, extra-judicial assassinations, air strikes, and artillery shells over the Eastern and Northern parts of the Gaza Strip.

During these military operations, civil and economic institutions as well as homes of civilians were targeted. The artillery shelling continued to threaten the lives of civilian inhabitants and persisted to intimidate and horrify them as well as causing more killings and destruction of their possessions. The intensification of targeting civilians including children - the latest of which is the killing of 8 years old Hadeel Ghaben, and injuring 15 others in Beit Lahyia – is considered a blatant violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and war crimes.

All of these attacks which coincide with the policy of strict economical closure and placing restrictions over food, drugs, and medical supplies, led to an increase in cases of anxiety and stress and warns of a humanitarian tragedy. As a result, this puts Gaza strip on the edge of explosion which threatens the internal Palestinian security and the security of the whole region.

The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme warns of a humanitarian disaster as a result of the worsening of the health and humanitarian conditions, particularly with the anticipation that the military operations and closures are expected to escalate. In this regard, we demand all parties to abide by the truce agreement and not to give Israel the pretexts to use violence against our civilian people.

GCMHP denounces the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip and the economical and policy of starvation in the whole Palestinian Territories and appeals to the entire world to act immediately to stop the attacks and prevent further escalation and deterioration of the humanitarian conditions.

GCMHP calls the international human rights organizations, the EU, the quartet, and peace loving people worldwide to intervene immediately, and pressure Israel to stop its military actions and crimes and respect its obligations, as set by the 4th Geneva Convention, in protecting Palestinian civilians in times of war.