Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that more than 8,300 people were killed with tens of thousands being wounded.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, told an emergency UN meeting that “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions”. He also accused Israel of “collective punishment” of the Palestinians.
Lazzarini warned that the largest UN agency in the Gaza Strip could shut down if the disruption of civil order and the looting of the agency’s warehouses by Palestinians in search of food and other aid continued.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that the death toll included more than 3,400 children killed and more than 6,300 injured.
This means that more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza each day – a number which should shake each of us to our core.
Many speakers at the council meeting condemned Hamas surprise attacks on Israel on October 7, which killed more than 1,400 people. They also called for the release of some 230 hostages taken by militants in Gaza.
However, almost every speaker has emphasised that Israel is obliged under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and key civilian infrastructures, including hospitals and schools. Israel was criticised for the total siege, which included cutting off food, water, fuel and medical supplies to Gaza and disabling communications for several days.
“The system in place to allow aid into Gaza is geared to fail unless there is political will to make the flow of supplies meaningful, matching the unprecedented humanitarian needs.”
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called on the divided Security Council to unite, saying that “the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing more dire by the day.”
Israel’s UN envoy Gilad Erdan strongly criticised the council’s failure to condemn Hamas attacks and asked the members:
Why are the humanitarian needs of Gazans, the sole issue, the sole issue you are focused on?
Erdan then wore a large six-pointed yellow star with the words Never Again on his jacket.
“We walk with the yellow star as a symbol of pride, a reminder that we swore to fight back to defend ourselves. Never again is now.”
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, also called for an end to “this bloodshed, which constitutes an affront to humanity, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, and a clear and imminent danger for regional and international peace and security.”
Save those who still can be saved and bury in a dignified manner those who have perished.
