UN Secretary General again calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza along with unfettered aid and hostage release News
龘雷, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
UN Secretary General again calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza along with unfettered aid and hostage release

UN Secretary General António Guterres made another call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza following a trip to Egypt near Rafah on Saturday. He also made a call for Israel to allow aid delivers into the occupied territories without intervening, and for Hamas to release all hostages.

Guterres met with UN humanitarian workers during his visit to discuss the impact of conflict on refugees. In particular, Guterres visited the General Hospital in El Arish where he spoke to injured Palestinians civilians. Guterres said:

Listening to the testimony of those that have been wounded, that have seen their parents and other members of their family killed or wounded, that have suffered so much, you cannot avoid feeling heartbroken… and to clearly say ‘we must silence the guns’, we need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Guterres further commented on the impact of aid delays. He says that the delays are exacerbating an already serious situation, impacting not only Palestinian civilians but also hostages and “all people of the region.” He called the delays a “moral outrage” and asserted that it is “time to flood Gaza with lifesaving aid.” The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Famine Review Committee says that over 1 million Palestinians are currently starving, while “half of Gaza experience catastrophic food insecurity.”

In a Telegram post, Al-Quassam and Al-Quds Brigades said that as a result of the aid delays, a 34 year old Israeli hostage died from starvation and lack of medicine.

Guterres, on X (formerly Twitter), said

Nothing justifies the horrific attacks by Hamas. Nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. It’s time for a humanitarian ceasefire, a commitment by Israel for unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza, and the release of all hostages.

The Secretary General’s visit comes after Russia and China vetoed a US-led resolution for a ceasefire on Friday over disagreements on certain elements. The draft outlined the “imperative” for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” to allow aid and support the release of hostages.

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