2024-03-24 13:35:14
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday issued an urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip, as well as to allow humanitarian aid to reach the starving population of the coastal enclave. At a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, Guterres stressed the urgency of the situation, saying: “Looking at Gaza, it almost seems like the four horsemen of war, of famine, conquest and death gallop across it. That is why the time has come for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”
The Secretary-General also called for increased humanitarian access to Gaza, stressing that Palestinians in the region urgently need “a flood of aid.” He pleaded for the opening of border crossings and urged allowing humanitarian aid trucks waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to enter Gaza.
Guterres himself visited the Rafah crossing the day before and saw first-hand the plight of the waiting aid trucks.
The region has been plunged into chaos since Hamas-led militants launched an attack on October 7, triggering a series of tragic events that claimed the lives of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and led to the taking of dozens of others hostage.
Hamas still holds around 100 hostages, along with the remains of 30 others, after most of the others were released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in November.
The death toll from this conflict continues to rise, with more than 32,000 Palestinians killed and more than 74,000 injured during Israeli bombings.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with more than 80% of the population, or 2.3 million people, having fled their homes, most seeking refuge in the town of Rafah, which could become the next target of the offensive Israeli land.
In the face of this unprecedented humanitarian crisis, Guterres’ call for an immediate ceasefire and increased access for humanitarian aid is more urgent than ever.
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