UN chief Guterres’s ‘two humanitarian appeals’ to Hamas, Israel amid war
Amid the escalating war between Israel and the Hamas militants, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday appealed to Hamas to release hostages without conditions, and Israel to allow rapid and unimpeded humanitarian aid access to the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
“As we are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East, I have two humanitarian appeals…Each one of these two objectives are valid in themselves. They should not become bargaining chips and they must be implemented because it is the right thing to do,” the UN chief wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
As Israel stopped the flow of resources to the Gaza Strip, over 2.3 million civilians are facing a deepening struggle for food, water, and safety, and are bracing for a looming invasion more than a week after the Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Israel that killed over 1,300 people.
According to the United Nations Humanitarian Office (OCHA), reserves of fuel at all hospitals across the Gaza Strip are expected to last only around 24 more hours. “The shutdown of backup generators would place the lives of thousands of patients at risk,” the OCHA said on its website.
On Monday early morning, the UN chief said that they have stocks available of food, water, medical supplies, and fuel in Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel.
“…They can be dispatched within hours. To ensure delivery, our staff need to be able to bring these supplies into and throughout Gaza safely, and without impediment,” Guterres said.
The deadly war entered its 10th day on Monday and has claimed at least 4,000 lives from both sides. While Israel has not yet made a decision on a ground offensive, its troops have been massing along the Gaza border.
According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), more than 600,000 Gazans from Gaza City and its surroundings have relocated southward. “This is despite efforts by Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to keep them in the north to serve as human shields,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.