Arab News Japan

TOKYO: ITOI Shiho, who oversees Palestine projects at the nonprofit organization Parsic, told a meeting in Japan’s Parliament on June 11: “Children are starving to death in Gaza and people are on the brink of death. The intense air strikes that have continued for more than eight months have destroyed people’s minds and bodies, and Gaza has truly become a Hell on Earth.”

Itoi was speaking at a meeting of the cross-party League of Parliamentarians for Humanitarian Diplomacy, which involved representatives of organizations working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The meeting was reported by Japanese media with the clear message from the people involved in providing support to Gaza that the humanitarian crisis is becoming critical.

TANAKA Yoshiko, secretary general of the NPO Campaign for Palestine Children, which provides food aid and other assistance in Gaza, said: “After the invasion of Rafah, up until June 10, there were days when almost no supplies were delivered to Gaza. We are concerned that people who need not die are dying because of the inability to transport supplies. Ninety percent of Palestinian children barely have any rice to eat.” 

According to UN data compiled by Tanaka, the number of trucks delivering aid to Gaza rose from 218 in October last year, when fighting in Gaza began, to 5,671 in April this year, but fell to 1,656 in May, and stood at just 234 in in the first 10 days of June. About 70 percent of trucks carrying goods are unable to reach their final destinations due to the worsening security situation in Gaza.

KANEKO Yuka, who oversees Gaza operations at the public interest incorporated association Save the Children Japan,said “At least 1 percent (14,100) of Gaza’s children have already died and the toll continues to rise. Only an immediate ceasefire can stop this tragedy.”

KOBAYASHI Reiko from the Japan International Volunteer Center said many Palestinians believe the world outside no longer cares: “With no ceasefire in place, residents are expressing their anxiety that the international community has forgotten about them, asking, ‘Why is nothing being done?’ ”

The Citizens’ Association for Not Forgiving Israeli Genocide organized a petition to try and persuade the government to take appropriate action. The group’s TAKI Asako criticized Japanese companies for doing business with Israel, especially in the field of weapons. “Exporting weapons to Israel is outrageous,” she said. “I think we’re at a stage where other economic sanctions are necessary.”

KUROKI Hidemitsu of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, who specializes in Middle Eastern studies, said the chances of a quick ceasefire are slim: “The ball is now in Israel’s hands, but it will be difficult to make it happen for a while. Israel is not just killing people in Gaza, it is destroying homes, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, and continuing its efforts to make the place uninhabitable. It is aware of its growing isolation from the international community and is feeling anxious, but an end to the fighting would mean that the Netanyahu government would not be able to survive.”