“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killings of civilians in Gaza yesterday, including many children, by Israeli airstrikes,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents in New York.
“It condemns all actions that undermine the ceasefire and endanger the lives of civilians. »
Assurances given
Mr. Dujarric said Guterres had stressed “the importance of renewed assurances from the parties to implement the ceasefire” and stressed that “these commitments must be fully respected.”
He added that any act that harms civilians or hinders humanitarian operations “must be avoided.”
The Secretary-General once again welcomed the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States, calling their engagement “essential to maintaining the agreement, preventing further escalation and enabling increased humanitarian access.”
UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the killings, adding that the rules of war are clear on the “paramount importance” of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
“We must not let this opportunity for peace and the path to a fairer and more secure future slip away,” added Mr. Türk.
Around 350 dead and injured
Despite the ceasefire, the violence continues. According to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday and overnight left more than 100 dead and 250 injured.
At the same time, humanitarian agencies are racing to scale up lifesaving aid.
UN child protection partners have provided psychosocial and mental health support to 1,500 children and 700 caregivers this week, while food security teams are producing around 130,000 two-kilogram bread packages daily.
Free bread, but little protein
Community kitchens and shelters continue to distribute free bread, although access to fresh produce and protein remains extremely limited.
Most families survive on cereals, legumes and small amounts of dairy products, according to UN partners.
THE United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) distributed more than 200,000 liters of fuel on Tuesday to support essential operations, ranging from health and sanitation to food distribution and communications.
OCHA said that although aid delivery is increasing, “obstacles remain”. For the 60-day humanitarian plan to succeed, “we need the ceasefire to hold.” Dujarric said, adding that more border crossings, safe routes inside Gaza and unhindered access for humanitarian workers are essential.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
