His comments come as Israel continues its relentless assault on the Palestinian enclave in an effort to destroy the Hamas group, which launched a surprise attack on Israeli territories near Gaza on October 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing some 240 hostages.
So far, according to Gaza health officials, the Israeli attacks on the enclave have resulted in the deaths of over 19,000 people, including thousands of children, while more that 50,000 people have been injured.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have yet to claim victory over Hamas and the only thing they have achieved so far is “massive destruction and civilian deaths”, according to the Hezbollah spokesman
“This will seriously impact how the world views Israel,” he said, noting that the only country really supporting Israel at this point is the US, which he said was “practically isolated in this regard.”
The global reaction to Israel’s action is “difficult to ignore”, Mohammad Afif pointed out. The bloodshed in Gaza has even prompted the UN to invoke so-called Article 99 for the first time in decades. This allows the secretary general to bring to the attention of the UN Security Council any matter which he believes may threaten international peace and security.
The head of the UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has stated that Israel’s assault on Gaza had left the enclave unfit for human habitation.
“Every time I go back [to Gaza], I always think it cannot get worse, but every time I see more misery, more grief, more sadness, and have the feeling that Gaza is not really a habitable place any more,” the UN official told reporters, calling for the immediate cessation of the Israeli siege.
