UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Gaza currently has “the highest per capita number of child amputees in the world,” with “many children losing limbs and undergoing surgical procedures without anesthesia,” reports RTE.
In comments delivered on his behalf at a Cairo conference aimed at boosting humanitarian assistance, Mr. Guterres called on the global community to “establish a foundation for lasting peace in Gaza and throughout the Middle East.”
The UN Chief described the conditions in war-torn Gaza as “horrific and catastrophic,” cautioning that the hardships faced by Palestinians in the region could constitute the “most serious international crimes.”
The conflict in Gaza erupted when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to 1,208 casualties, primarily among civilians, as reported by an AFP count of Israeli official data, reports RTE.
According to its health ministry, Israel’s counteroffensive has resulted in the deaths of 44,446 individuals in Gaza, including 37 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Mr. Guterres underscored the devastating impact of the conflict and the pressing need for a global response. “Widespread malnutrition is present… Famine is approaching. Simultaneously, the healthcare system has collapsed,” he remarked, reports RTE.
TheLiberal.ie won’t quit
Please support us with a small donation on PayPal!
The secretary-general also condemned the strict limitations on aid distribution, deeming the current levels “grossly inadequate.”
As per UNRWA’s assessment, only 65 aid trucks per day have been permitted into Gaza over the past month, compared to a pre-war average of 500 trucks.
International relief organizations have consistently voiced concerns over the worsening situation in Gaza, indicating that civilians are on the edge of famine, reports RTE.
They have noted that aid deliveries to Gaza are now at their lowest level since the conflict began.
Israel, which implemented a total siege on the Hamas-controlled territory early in the conflict, has attributed aid challenges to what it describes as the inability of relief organizations to manage and distribute substantial amounts of aid, reports RTE.
Mr. Guterres asserted that the blockade of aid to Gaza “is not merely a logistical problem” but instead reflects “a lack of political will and a disregard for fundamental tenets of international humanitarian law.”
UNRWA reported that all efforts to deliver aid to northern Gaza were either “denied” or “obstructed” between October 6 and November 25 amid intense fighting in the region, reports RTE.
Mr. Guterres emphasized that UNRWA serves as an “essential lifeline for millions of Palestinians,” adding that “should UNRWA be compelled to shut down, the burden of providing its crucial services… would fall on Israel.”
Israeli forces carried out strikes on residential buildings during overnight assaults in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 individuals in one building in the town of Beit Lahiya, according to Palestinian medics, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
