Ramallah, 20-01-09: Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, spoke out against the faulty unilateral ceasefire declared by Israel.
"What ceasefire?" he asked, "Israel is still reportedly bombarding Palestinians from the sea, and though the troops have been moving back, they are not gone and retain the permission to instigate more violence at will."
"This war and the ceasefire have not brought about a lifting of the siege on Gaza. People might not be dying by gunfire, but they may still starve to death or succumb to easily treatable ailments. This brutal siege has crippled Gaza and most importantly the children", he emphasised, referring on the siege policy that Israel has heavily imposed on the Gaza Strip for 14 months.
Studies in Gaza have revealed ’stunting’ in children compared to their West Bank counterparts due to the siege. A 12-year-old child in Gaza is now about the same size as an 8-year-old in the West Bank.
According to the Deputy, "A phenomena like stunting does not occur overnight and is further proof that Israel’s claims that they left Gaza ’all alone’ after 2005 are utterly false."
He expressed his fear that any violence, regardless of who provokes it, would lead to the military reoccupation of the Strip.
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After 24 day of attacks, at least 1,312 people have reportedly been killed (including more than 417 children and 108 women), and more than 5,340 have sustained heavy injuries, including 411 seriously wounded. The majority of the casualties are civilians and 48% are children and women.
At least 22 families were reportedly struck, killing fathers, mothers and children.
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