Palestinian Envoy Appeals for International Help to Rescue Thousands Trapped Under Debris in Gaza

Ambassador of Palestine to Nigeria, Mr Abdullah Shawesh has appealed to the international community to assist in rescuing thousands of people that may be still under debris in Gaza following prolonged attack of the city by Israeli forces.

Addressing the media on the ongoing attack of Gaza by Israeli force, the envoy said since 13,000 Palestinian are reportedly missing in the Gaza Strip under Israelis siege, many of them may still be under the debris whether life or dead.

He said: “Urgent international actions are needed to set up special mechanisms and specialized teams to remove debris from homes and buildings that Israel’s army has bombed, rescue those trapped alive under the rubble and retrieve the thousands of dead bodies stuck under it.”

He noted that: “13,000 Palestinian are reportedly missing in the Gaza Strip.”

Also, the Palestinian Ambassador said the damage to critical infrastructure as it presently stands is in the region of $18.5 billion.

Shawesh who was quoting the World Bank and the UN joint report said that the amount is equivalent to 97% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He pointed out that over a million people are without homes, while 75 percent of the population is displaced.

He said the fact is that majority of the population no longer have access to health facilities as 84% of the country’s health facilities are destroyed and the

education sector has collapsed with the whole children out of school.

Shawesh said as at 12 April  2024, no fewer than 33,634 Palestinian had been killed and at least 76,214 wounded in the Gaza Strip.

He said over 462 Palestinian were also killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

He added that as of Tuesday, April 9, the number of the Palestinian detained since October 7 is 8, 165 from the occupied West Bank only,  including 272 women, 500 children and 66 journalists, 45 of whom are still under arrest and 24 of whom are sentenced to administrative detention.

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

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