Palestinian PM Discusses Conditions In Gaza With UN Special Coordinator When Death Toll Reaches 40,405 People

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, discussed the latest developments and joint coordination to strengthen aid efforts in the Gaza Strip, as the death toll in the Palestinian enclave continued to grow.

During Sunday's meeting in Ramallah, the two discussed efforts to stop the genocide carried out against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, as well as aggression in the West Bank.

They also discussed aid government interventions based in Gaza, plans to expand emergency aid operations after aggression in the Gaza Strip stops, restoration of basic services, reintegration and consolidation of national institutions and comprehensive reconstruction programs, the WAFA news agency reported as quoted August 26.

During a meeting at the UN Security Council on Thursday last week, Wennesland voiced concerns over the escalating crisis in the Gaza Strip, saying "unwarranted destruction of civilian infrastructure sparked suffering and violence."

"The war on Gaza with all its humanitarian tragedies, a serious risk of regional escalation and unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, as well as continued occupation combined to create a volatile situation in the Middle East," he explained at the UN DK session, quoted from Anadolu.

Wennesland warned, "any spark or miscalculation could trigger an uncontrollable series of escalations, involving millions more people in conflict."

He stressed the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and revive the peace process.

Wennesland further highlighted the devastating impact of Israeli airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools and mosques, in Gaza, saying "unwarranted destruction of civilian infrastructure triggers suffering and violence, which resonates throughout the wider region."

In the West Bank, he noted large-scale operations of Israel's continuing security forces, which often resulted in deadly exchanges and civilian casualties.

Wennesland condemned the recent acts of violence by Israeli illegal settlers in the Palestinian village of Jit, and described them as "a result of violence from the expansion of settlements" and the result of a persistent lack of accountability.

He also called for an end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the rejection of incitement and provocative actions.

"We are at a critical point in the Middle East," he warned, urging that "security and government must be handled simultaneously to achieve lasting peace," he said.

Separately, a medical report on Sunday said at least 71 Palestinians were killed and 112 others injured in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, local health authorities confirmed that the death toll from Israeli attacks since the latest conflict broke out on October 7, 2023 has reached 40,405 people, while 93,468 others have been injured, the majority of the victims being women and children.