The United Nations described the situation in Gaza as “horrific” and compared it to “Judgment Day,” warning that the conditions faced by Palestinians in the region may amount to some of the most serious international crimes. This statement came during a conference in Cairo aimed at expediting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
In a speech read by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to lay the groundwork for a sustainable peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, over 44,000 people have died in nearly 14 months of conflict between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization, a figure deemed credible by the UN.
Guterres highlighted the devastating toll of the conflict and emphasized the urgent need for international action. He noted widespread malnutrition, the looming threat of famine, and the collapse of the healthcare system. He also pointed out that Gaza now has the highest number of amputated children per capita in the world, with many undergoing surgeries without anesthesia.
The UN chief criticized severe restrictions on aid delivery, describing current levels of assistance as grossly inadequate. Data from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) indicated that only 65 aid trucks entered the besieged Palestinian territory daily last month, compared to an average of 500 before the war.
Guterres argued that the blockade on Gaza’s aid was not a logistical crisis but rather one of political will and respect for the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. He stated that all UNRWA’s attempts to transport aid to northern Gaza from 6 October to 25 November 2024 had been blocked or refused by Israel amid intense fighting.
He described UNRWA as an irreplaceable lifeline for millions of Palestinians and warned that if the agency were forced to close, Israel, as the occupying power, would bear the responsibility for replacing its services and addressing the basic needs of Gaza’s Palestinians. This responsibility, he stressed, would not fall to the United Nations but solely to Israel. His comments followed Israel’s October decision to ban UNRWA operations within its territory.
Also read: US Vetoes UN Resolution for Gaza Ceasefire
Source: ANA-MPA
