RAMALLAH, Friday, November 18, 2022 (WAFA) – Palestinian embassies and diplomatic missions worldwide today hoisted Palestine flags at half-mast in one-day mourning of the massive Gaza fire victims.
The Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry announced that it has instructed the Palestinian embassies and diplomatic missions around the world to declare Friday as a day of mourning and raise the Palestine flag at half-mast in mourning of the 21 victims tragically killed in the fire that engulfed a residential building in Jabalia refugee camp in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Malki mourned the loss of those who have perished and extended his deepest sympathy and condolences to their families.
At least 21 people were killed, including children, and many others injured Thursday night when a huge fire engulfed a residential building in Jabalia refugee camp, north of the besieged coastal enclave.
WAFA correspondent said scores of casualties were evacuated out of the building, and were taken to Indonesian Public Hospital in the nearby town of Beit Lahiya.
Preliminary reports said a large amount of gasoline used to generate electricity was stored inside the apartment, which led to the outbreak of the fire and the large number of victims.
The Israeli blockade and lack of proper electricity forces every home in Gaza to store dangerous gasoline for their home generators.
Fifteen years following the Israeli “disengagement” from Gaza, Israel has not actually disengaged from Gaza; it still maintains control of its land borders, access to the sea and airspace.
Two million Palestinians live the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to a punishing and crippling Israeli blockade for 15 years and repeated onslaughts that have heavily damaged much of the enclave’s infrastructure.
Gaza’s 2-million population remains under “remote control” occupation and a strict siege, which have destroyed the local economy, strangled Palestinian livelihoods, plunged them into unprecedented rates of unemployment and poverty, and cut off from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider world.
Gaza remains occupied territory, having no control over its borders, territorial waters or airspace. Meanwhile, Israel upholds very few of its responsibilities as the occupying power, failing to provide for the basic needs of Palestinian civilians living in the territory.
Every two in three Palestinians in Gaza is a refugee from lands inside what is now Israel. That government forbids them from exercising their right to return as enshrined in international law because they are not Jews.
K.F.
