 "Packed in by the Egyptian border, 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, and Israel has pledged to continue its retaliatory military attack there Image Courtesy Reuters")
Antonio Guterres, the head of the UN, stated on Sunday in Cairo that Israel must “remove the remaining obstacles and chokepoints to relief” in order to provide Gaza, which is facing starvation.
During a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Guterres reiterated his plea for a “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” to alleviate “the plight of Palestinian children, women, and men struggling to survive the nightmare in Gaza”.
The bulk of the 2.4 million people living in Gaza have been forced to flee their homes due to the nearly six months of fighting and siege, and the region’s civilian infrastructure has been decimated. On Saturday, he paid a visit to the Rafah border crossing.
“Looking at Gaza, it almost appears that the four horsemen of war, famine, conquest and death are galloping across it,” the UN chief said.
“The whole world recognises that it’s past time to silence the guns and ensure an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” he continued.
International pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to stop its ground offensive and bombardment of Gaza, which the health ministry of the territory claims has killed at least 32,226 people, the most of them women and children.
According to official Israeli estimates, Hamas’s unprecedented strike on Israel on October 7 caused roughly 1,160 casualties, the majority of them civilians. This attack set off the conflict.
Packed in by the Egyptian border, 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, and Israel has pledged to continue its retaliatory military attack there.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Guterres referred to Egypt’s El-Arish airport and the Rafah border crossing as “vital arteries for life-saving aid into
“But those arteries are clogged,” he said, with massive lines of trucks piled up on the Egyptian side, only trickling in as the humanitarian situation worsens.
Calls have mounted for Israel to ease its restrictions on aid and open more crossings into Gaza.
“Palestinians in Gaza desperately need what has been promised – a flood of aid. Not trickles. Not drops,” Guterres said.
The Palestinian area, especially the north that has been mainly blocked off from assistance supplies, has been in danger of starvation for some time now, according to repeated UN warnings.
(With agency inputs)