New Delhi: In the wake of the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday once again emphasised the urgent need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Highlighting the distressing toll on civilian lives, Guterres condemned the escalating violence, underscoring the pressing necessity to halt the conflict ravaging the Middle East.
“The war in the Middle East is having a staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties, including women and children, every day. This must stop,” Gutteres posted on X.
“I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” he added.
The war in the Middle East is having a staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties, including women and children, every day.
This must stop.
I reiterate my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) November 19, 2023
On Monday last week as well, the United Nations had reiterated its demand for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza amid the war with Israel and said that keeping an entire population besieged, under attack and denied access to amenities is “unacceptable”
The UN Geneva issued a statement by ‘Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory’.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been thirty days. Enough is enough. This must stop now. Heads of 18 UN agencies and NGOs issue a joint statement on #Gaza,” it posted on X.
The global watchdog said that the October 7 attack on Israel doesn’t justify the “horrific killings” of even more civilians in Gaza and cutting off 2.2 million Palestinians from amenities.
It further stated that more aid including food, water, medicines, and fuel needs to enter Gaza and an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” is needed.
“For almost a month, the world has been watching the unfolding situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in shock and horror at the spiralling numbers of lives lost and tom apart,” the UN statement read.
The global agency stated that civilians and the infrastructure they rely on, including hospitals, shelters and schools, must be protected.
“More aid including food, water, medicine and of course fuel — must enter Gaza safely, swiftly and at the scale needed, and must reach people in need, especially women and children, wherever they are,” the UN statement read.
It added, “We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now”.
(With ANI Inputs)