During an emergency briefing at the United Nations Security Council, an official emphasized the critical need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stating that it is a matter of life and death for millions in the region.
The official highlighted the increasing number of child casualties as Israel continues its bombardment of the area.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), addressed the Security Council, point up the dire situation faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
He described it as a life-or-death crisis, further impaired by the challenges of delivering aid to the over two million inhabitants of the Strip.
Lazzarini expressed his deep concern, stating:
“The level of destruction is unprecedented, the human tragedy unfolding under our watch is unbearable.”
He characterized the current blockade on Gaza as a form of collective punishment.
As a result of Israel’s bombing campaign, more than half a million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes. These displaced individuals are now seeking shelter in overcrowded UNRWA schools and buildings, with limited access to food, water, and often inadequate sleeping arrangements.
Lazzarini highlighted that hunger and despair are turning into anger against the international community. The limited aid allowed into Gaza through Egypt, which began last week, falls far short of the desperate need.
While Israel initiated the allowance of limited aid on October 21, the thorough inspections of each convoy have caused significant delays. Moreover, Israel has refused to permit the shipment of fuel, putting the few operational hospitals in the enclave at risk of closure.
In a sign of desperation due to the ongoing blockade and bombings, Palestinians recently resorted to breaking into UN warehouses to access essential survival goods, such as wheat and flour.
Lazzarini warned that a further breakdown in civil order would make it extremely challenging, if not impossible, for the largest UN agency in Gaza to continue its operations.
He emphasized the crucial role that UNRWA plays as the last remaining lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza. The urgent need for a ceasefire and improved access to humanitarian aid remains a top priority in addressing the escalating crisis in the region.
United Nations officials have urgently called upon Israel to open the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom in Israel, as the primary gateway for delivering crucial aid to Gaza.
They emphasize that this is the only passage capable of accommodating the volume of aid required to address the dire humanitarian situation in the region.
Israel has, for 16 years, maintained a land, air, and sea blockade on Gaza, aggravating the already challenging circumstances faced by its residents.
The escalation of violence and ongoing Israeli bombardment in Gaza has led to a significant increase in casualties, with particular concern for the rising number of child victims.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell reported that over 420 children in Gaza are being killed or injured every day, a shocking statistic that should deeply concern the international community.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), stressed that this number surpasses the annual child casualties in all conflict zones worldwide since 2019. He underscored that these casualties cannot be dismissed as ‘collateral damage.’
As Israel intensifies its ground offensive in Gaza, the situation becomes even more precarious. Israel has issued warnings to Gaza residents to evacuate to the southern part of the territory or risk being treated as “terrorist accomplices.” However, safety remains elusive even in the south, where Israeli bombings of homes persist.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce, but it is non-binding. The United States and Israel were among 14 countries that voted against the resolution.
The emergency summit also expressed concern about the risk of the Gaza conflict spreading to become a wider regional conflagration. Geir Pedersen, the UN’s special envoy to Syria, noted that spillover into Syria had already begun, creating a worrying potential for broader escalation.
Furthermore, Israel has conducted multiple air raids in Syria and Lebanon since the conflict with Hamas erupted three weeks ago, targeting critical military infrastructure and airports.
The urgent plea to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) comes in the wake of four separate resolutions calling for a ceasefire or “humanitarian pauses” that were not passed by the UNSC. One resolution was vetoed by the United States, and another was vetoed by Russia and China, while the remaining two failed to secure the minimum nine votes needed for approval.
The pressing need for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid access, and an end to the suffering in Gaza remains at the forefront of international concerns.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce, but it’s important to note that this resolution is non-binding, meaning it does not have the legal force of a Security Council resolution.
Fourteen countries, including the United States and Israel, voted against the resolution. The emergency summit also expressed concern about the potential for the Gaza conflict to escalate into a broader regional crisis. Geir Pedersen, the UN’s special envoy to Syria, mentioned that spillover effects into Syria have already begun, raising concerns about a wider escalation.
Moreover, Israel has conducted multiple air raids in Syria and Lebanon during the ongoing conflict with Hamas, targeting key military infrastructure and airports.
