South Africa condemns in the strongest possible terms the heinous massacres committed by the Israeli Defence Force across Gaza yesterday, which killed approximately 100 Palestinians, mostly women and children. In one of the massacres, 75 Palestinians from two families were killed in air strikes on two homes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia. Israel prevented ambulances and rescue teams from reaching the site of the massacre and denied journalists entry for hours.

The head of the intensive care unit in the Kamal Adwan hospital, Dr Ahmad Kahlut, was killed in the Israeli attacks in northern Gaza. According to the authorities in Gaza, hunger and suffering among Palestinians have reached “catastrophic” levels.

South Africa calls on Israel to end its genocidal aggression, forced displacement and starvation of the Palestinian people as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip.

South Africa calls on the UN Security Council to ensure the immediate and urgent entry of humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip pursuant to the UNSC Resolution 2735, which calls for an immediate, full and complete ceasefire, and enable the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities.