ATHENS

Athens Bar Association on Friday condemned Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.

“The Athens Bar Association expresses its strong concern and protest over the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army and the deprivation of the Palestinian population from basic necessities, food, especially baby food, water, and medicine, resulting in the starvation and death of tens of thousands of civilians, especially children and infant,” it said in a statement.

The statement called for action to ensure respect for international law and swiftly end the Israeli acts violating, among others, Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims and international humanitarian law, such as the use of starvation as a means of warfare, the systematic bombing of hospitals, infrastructure and refugee camps, the deliberate conduct of attacks on civilians, and the displacement of populations.

“There is an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, protection of human rights and human life, especially children, and the immediate and unhindered provision of humanitarian protection to the affected areas of Gaza,” it said.

Gaza faces catastrophic hunger levels, with UN agencies warning of imminent famine in northern Gaza, in particular, if aid access does not significantly improve.

Gaza’s Government Media Office confirmed that 87 trucks entered on Wednesday for the first time in nearly three months, but emphasized the need for 500 aid and 50 fuel trucks daily to sustain life amid severe famine conditions.

Since March 2, Gaza has faced a full blockade of essential humanitarian supplies, compounded by the resumption of large-scale military attacks by Israeli forces.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing over 53,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.