The Gaza government on Saturday made a fervent plea to Arab leaders gathered in Baghdad, urging decisive action to end Israel’s siege.
In a statement to the Arab League Summit, Gaza’s Media Office demanded the full opening of border crossings and the immediate delivery of life-saving aid.
It accused Israel of pursuing a deliberate strategy of starvation, calling the blockade a “calculated policy of famine and deprivation,” not a logistical failure.
More than two million Palestinians remain trapped, the statement said, facing daily bombardments, food shortages, and a collapsing health system.
The 34th Arab League Summit convened under the banner of “Dialogue, Solidarity, and Development,” with the Palestinian crisis dominating its agenda.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Al-Awda Health and Community Association warned of an imminent shutdown of all medical and social services due to Israel’s blockade.
Seven of its nine ambulances are already out of service, as no fuel or medical supplies have entered Gaza since March 2.
“Our services are collapsing. We haven’t received medical aid in over 70 days,” said Director Raafat Al-Majdalawi in a statement Saturday.
He urged Arab and international bodies to send emergency medical support and to uphold protections for hospitals under international law.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli forces have intensified strikes on hospitals, including a recent attack that rendered the European Hospital inoperable.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the ministry reported.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, while Israel faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice.
Gaza’s leaders now await the Arab League’s response—one that could shape the course of a humanitarian catastrophe.