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“Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Calls: UN Agency Warns of Dehumanization of Gaza Residents

The unrecognized Palestinian population living in the Gaza Strip is quickly being dehumanized, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned. This warning follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to consider calls for a ceasefire and a relaxation of his country’s siege of the coastal enclave. UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl said that the population of Gaza, which is living in an open-air prison, is at risk of total dehumanization. He noted that the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip are stranded in an open-air prison with no end in sight due to a 12-year Israeli-led blockade. Consequently, the basic rights of nearly 2 million people are being denied, resulting in dire humanitarian and economic decline. Krahenbuhl also highlighted how the siege of Gaza has gone beyond the crippling economic conditions and now affects the psychological well-being of its inhabitants. The prolonged siege has resulted in a rise in depression and anxiety among its residents, and the UNRWA commissioner general cites the recent surge of violence between Israelis and Palestinians as a factor leading to an escalation of these mental health issues. Netanyahu has rejected calls from the UN and other international entities for a ceasefire, instead choosing to continue the siege by controlling who can enter and leave the area and maintaining restrictions on the delivery of food and medical supplies. This refusal to end the siege has led to a dramatic decline in the quality of life for the residents of the Gaza Strip. Krahenbuhl has also been vocal about the human rights violations against Palestinians living in the region, causing the longstanding trauma to reach “epic levels.” He believes that a dismantling of Israel’s blockade and collaboration with the UN is necessary to bring proper aid to those in need. This latest UNRWA warning comes as Israeli security forces have killed at least 32 Palestinians in Gaza since hostilities began last month. As a result of these atrocities, hundreds of civilians have been injured and thousands of homes destroyed. Netanyahu’s refusal to consider calls for a ceasefire has made living conditions in Gaza nearly unbearable for those without the resources to flee. The Palestinian population is getting increasingly desperate and dealing with immense amounts of trauma, placing them at risk of total dehumanization. It is clear that a ceasefire must be reached soon if any progress is to be made towards healing the wound of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.