Antonio Guterres says that all parties involved in the conflict, as well as the international community, bear a significant responsibility to halt the collective suffering and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.
GAZA: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Nov 7th, 2023) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Monday, expressed concern that the Gaza Strip, which has been heavily affected by ongoing conflicts, is becoming a "graveyard for children."
He called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the increasing urgency for a humanitarian ceasefire as the situation unfolds.
Guterres stressed that all parties involved in the conflict, as well as the international community, bear a significant responsibility to halt the collective suffering and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. He described the situation in Gaza as not just a humanitarian crisis but also a crisis of humanity.
He mentioned the high human cost of the conflict, with over 10,222 people, including more than 4,000 children, reportedly killed by Israeli strikes in the densely populated Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Guterres also deplored the killings of media workers, with at least 36 journalists and media workers reported killed. Furthermore, 89 UN aid workers have lost their lives.
Guterres formally launched a recently announced $1.2 billion UN humanitarian appeal to assist 2.7 million Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip and parts of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Aid trucks have been arriving in Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah border crossing, although the delivery level remains below what was seen before October 7, partly due to security checks by Israel. One significant restriction is the lack of fuel, which Guterres highlighted as a critical issue affecting medical facilities and patients.
The UN Secretary-General called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and urged all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. He also expressed concern about the violations of international humanitarian law taking place during the conflict.
While the UN Security Council has convened multiple times to address the situation, it has not yet reached a consensus on the terms used to describe a pause in the fighting, such as a "ceasefire" or a "humanitarian pause." Disagreements persist within the Council regarding the acceptability of certain language.
Overall, the urgent humanitarian need in Gaza is widely recognized, but there remain challenges in reaching an agreement that could lead to a cessation of hostilities or a humanitarian truce.
