UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an “urgent” ceasefire in Gaza.
António Guterres said the enclave had become a graveyard for children. He also condemned Hamas for using civilians as human shields. He said:
The unfolding catastrophe makes the need for a humanitarian ceasefire more urgent with every passing hour.
On Monday, he announced the launch of a campaign to raise $1.2 billion to help civilians in the Gaza Strip. Guterres has been one of those actively calling for an end to the war in Gaza, prompted by Hamas’ killing of 1,400 people in southern Israel on 7 October and the capture of more than 240 hostages.
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported that the number of Palestinians killed as a result of hostilities in Gaza exceeds 10,000. More than 4,000 of the dead were children. Guterres said:
Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children. Hundreds of girls and boys are reportedly being killed or injured every day.
According to the UN Secretary General, “Overall, more journalists have been killed in the four weeks of war than in any conflict in the past three decades”. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that some 37 journalists and media workers were killed in the war, including 32 Palestinians and four Israelis. The UN has reported that over 89 aid workers have also been killed. Guterres added:
More UN aid workers have been killed than in any comparable period in the history of our organization.
Guterres believes that the war between Israel and Hamas is a “crisis of humanity” that is “shaking the world.” He added:
Ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces and continued bombardment are hitting civilians, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, churches and UN facilities – including shelters. No one is safe.
Guterres called on all parties to the conflict to respect international law. He emphasised that “no party to the armed conflict is above international humanitarian law”. He spoke at a time when the international community and the US were focusing on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza through the Egyptian Rafah crossing, which is not designed for the flow of goods into the Strip.
Israel closed the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing and the Erez pedestrian crossing until Hamas releases all hostages. Guterres noted that the flow of goods entering Gaza through Rafah “does not meet the ocean of needs” and the crossing was not designed for such a flow. He said:
Just over 400 trucks have crossed into Gaza over the past two weeks – compared with 500 a day before the conflict. And crucially, this does not include fuel.
Israeli authorities are not allowing fuel into Gaza. They say Hamas will use it for its own needs.
Palestinians in Gaza depend on fuel to generate electricity and purify water. According to the UN, there has been no electricity in Gaza since 11 October. Israel declared a full siege of the region days after the war began. On Monday, 93 trucks travelled from Egypt to Gaza, mostly carrying food, medicine, medical supplies, bottled water and hygiene products, according to the UN. Before the outbreak of the war in Gaza, about 500 truckloads of goods entered Gaza every working day, the UN explained.
