Parliamentary speakers from 13 countries meet to condemn Israel's continued onslaught in Gaza

As Israel continued its deadly attacks in Gaza on Friday, Parliament speakers of 13 countries gathered for the "Groups of Parliaments in Support of Palestine" meeting in Istanbul and condemned Israel's attacks that have caused what UNRWA calls "likely the worst humanitarian crisis" in the Gaza Strip since the war started in October 2023.

Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday killed at least 45 Palestinians and injured dozens of others, according to the Civil Defense in Gaza.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense, said that in the southern city of Khan Younis, 10 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential home belonging to the Baraka family, while six others, including two children and a woman, died after an airstrike on a barbershop. Multiple other strikes in Khan Younis reportedly killed eight more people, while two others were killed in southern Rafah city, he added.

In the north, at least 13 people were killed and several others wounded when a strike hit the Maqdad family's home in the Tal al-Zaatar area, Basal said, noting six were killed in airstrikes on two displacement tents in Gaza City.

In a press statement, the Civil Defense warned that its emergency operations may grind to a halt in the coming days due to fuel shortages, which it attributed to the ongoing Israeli restrictions on aid and fuel entry.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Friday that, with the direction of intelligence, IDF troops are continuing their operational activity against militant organizations in Gaza, dismantling their infrastructure sites, and killing militants.

At the interparliamentary meeting in Istanbul, parliament speakers condemned the killings, urging "global organizations to take action to halt the attacks by Tel Aviv," Türkiye's Anadolu Agency reported.

Malaysian Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Dato Johari bin Abdul reiterated her country's support for Palestine's independence and sovereignty, and condemned the killing of civilians, while Spanish Parliament Speaker Armengol Socias said that "what has been happening in Gaza since October 2023 constitutes 'a crime against humanity'," said the report.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Friday that it runs 115 shelters across the Gaza Strip, with over 90,000 displaced people residing in them.

The UN estimates that nearly 420,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza on the night between March 17 and 18.

Humanitarian aid and supplies have not entered the Gaza Strip for almost seven weeks since March 2, when the Israeli authorities imposed a siege.

"As a result, critical humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel medical aid and vaccines for children, are rapidly depleting," read an UNRWA situation report, which noted, "this is 'likely the worst humanitarian crisis' the Gaza Strip is facing in the 18 months since the war started in October 2023." ​​​​​​​ According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people -- or about 90 percent of the population -- across the Gaza Strip have been displaced during the war, said UNRWA.

Parliamentary speakers from 13 countries meet to condemn Israel's continued onslaught in Gaza

Parliamentary speakers from 13 countries meet to condemn Israel's continued onslaught in Gaza

Parliamentary speakers from 13 countries meet to condemn Israel's continued onslaught in Gaza

Permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations (UN) Danny Danon on Thursday denied that any discussions had occurred between Israel and the UN regarding delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Danon made these remarks at the UN headquarters in response to a query from a China Central Television (CCTV) reporter about the ongoing failure to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Israel blocked the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the end of the first phase of a January ceasefire deal with Hamas. It resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18.

With no food, no supplies, and no relief in sight, Gazans have been enduring a relentless fight for survival.

In response to mounting international condemnation, Israel has proposed that its military take over the distribution of aid - a move widely criticized by the international community.

Briefing a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher noted that the UN has met for over 12 times with the Israeli authorities regarding the latter's proposed aid distribution model, yet no solution had been found.

Danon, however, stated that no discussions have taken place in recent weeks regarding the issue.

"I don't know about that. Actually I listened to Mr. Fletcher's remarks at the Security Council the other day, and I can tell you that he visited Israel but he had no discussion about that fund because it was way back and in the last few weeks there was no dialogue about that. I would expect UN officials to engage when they want to speak about issues they know how to reach us, they know how to reach the U.S. mission. We are here to engage," he said.

"They got some information from the media, I assume. But I think they should look into that and to realize that if they want to be involved, that is the way to be involved," he added, reiterating that the UN has not reached out.

In response to Danon's denial, the United Nations reaffirmed its position, standing by the public statement released by Fletcher.

"I heard what he said, and we stand by what Mr. Fletcher has said," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General noted later on the day, commenting on Danon's statement.

"Mr. Fletcher gave the details," he continued.

Israel envoy denies discussions with UN on enabling Gaza aid deliveries