A Region on Fire - Fact sheet

Issue Zero - September 26,2024

The current context places international institutions before their responsibilities to enforce international law and uphold Human Rights. Israel has not complied with the decision issued by the International Court of Justice on 19 July 2024, which declared Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as illegal and mandated Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its settlements, provide full reparations to Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced people. . Additionally, Israel ignored the United Nations’ General Assembly resolution on September 18 2024 that demands Israel to “bring to an end without delay its unlawful presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Before that, Israel has also failed to comply with the Security Council resolution issued in March 2024 calling for cease-fire in Gaza.

As the Security Council considers the situation in the region and Lebanon in particular, States are required to review immediately all diplomatic, political, and economic relations with Israel. They are encouraged to engage with the International Criminal Court, protect the Palestinians and Lebanese, and confront Israel’s deliberate efforts to rewrite the rules of international humanitarian law, using it as a “humanitarian camouflage” to legitimize genocidal violence and terrorism against civilians .

Palestine

In October 2023, Israel's 77-year-old war on the Palestinian escalated once more turning Gaza into a genocidal warfare. This resulted in the killing and disappearance of tens of thousands of people.  More than half of Gaza’s homes were totally or partially destroyed, and IIsraeli airstrikes and ground operations continue, causing further displacement and widespread destruction.

Between October 2023 and September 2024.

Casualties

At least 41,467 people have been killed, including nearly 16,500 children. More than 95,921 people have been injured, while over 10,000 are still missing. Approximately 1.9 million people have been internally displaced.

Healthcare

Only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functional, and 57 out of 132 primary healthcare facilities remain operational. The region is facing severe shortages of fuel, medicine, and essential supplies.

Infrastructure

• 65 % of the road networks have been damaged.

• 85 % of school buildings have been affected.

• UNICEF reports that 92.9 % of schools in Gaza (524 out of 564) have been damaged or destroyed.

Commercial Impact

80 % of commercial facilities have been damaged, and 65 % of cropland has been impacted.

Food Security

In northern Gaza, 97 % of households report inadequate food consumption, while in southern Gaza, the figure is 83 %.

Education

Humanitarian efforts are working to establish 215 temporary learning sites for over 30,000 children.

Journalists

More than 125 journalists, most of them Palestinians, have been killed.

The West Bank is also under attack.

The escalation began in the context of a decade long military occupation, during which the Israeli government has approved and funded the expansion of illegal settlements. In addition, thousands have been arrested and subjected to systematic Human Rights violations.

• 622 Palestinians have been killed.

• 1,270 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have been reported.

• Arrests are increasing, with thousands of Palestinians detained.

• 6,730 housing units have been built or approved in illegal settlements.

• At least 53 Palestinian detainees have died while in custody.

• 373 structures have been demolished.

Will Lebanon become another Gaza?

Lebanon is "on the brink of the abyss" according to the UN Secretary-General, and Israeli raids on Lebanese areas continue with the start of the military operation that Israel has named "Arrows of the North." The attack on Monday, September 23, resulted in the highest single day death toll in Lebanon's history. The causalities include children, women, four healthcare workers, a journalist, and United Nations staff. Fourteen ambulance and firefighting trucks were struck in the attack. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in the South and Bekaa.

• Deaths:1300

• Injuries: 3000

This was preceded by the manipulation and simultaneous-detonation of thousands of electronic pagers and radios across Lebanon and Syria, constituting a “horrific” violation of international law and the human right to life. Among the people killed by the attack were two children and two healthcare workers.

• Deaths: 27

• Injuries: 2931

The subsequent strike on Al Qaem in Beirut's Southern Suburb on September20 resulted in deaths and injuries to many people.

• Deaths: 55 including seven children

• Injuries: 66

The situation in Lebanon has been escalating since October 8, with daily exchanges of fire across the southern border causing extensive damage to water, electricity, communications, and road infrastructure, as well as in civilian causalities including, journalists and relief workers.  The attacks have inflicted significant damage to civilian infrastructure, and strained social service sectors.

As of September 20, there have been

- 3,009 airstrikes

- 4,704 instances of artillery shelling and missile attacks,

- 613 deaths

- 3,112 injuries.

The destruction includes:

- 4,000 buildings, including 72 schools and 6 healthcare facilities closed down.

- Approximately 1,842 hectares of agricultural land have been affected, and over 340,000 livestock and farm animals have been killed.

- There have also been 376 instances of white phosphorus attacks.

The conflict has displaced 111,696 individuals, 52% of whom are women. Additionally, 16 water facilities, servicing over 200,000 residents in the South and Nabatieh governorates, have been damaged.

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