Gaza: Renewed Airstrikes, Blocked Aid & Calls for Ceasefire Amid Humanitarian Crisis| United Nations

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, today (18 Mar) told the Security Council that as airstrikes resumed across the Gaza Strip overnight and new evacuation orders have been issued by Israeli forces, “once again, the people of Gaza living in abject fear,” and modest gains made during the ceasefire are being destroyed. Fletcher, who spoke by VTC from Brussels, said “humanitarian workers remain on the ground” and are “ready to provide lifesaving support to survivors and carry out humanitarian mission,” but “must be allowed to do so.” He said, “a ceasefire was in place. Humanitarians were delivering hundreds of trucks every day, saving lives and restoring hope. We demonstrated that when we are allowed to do so, we can deliver aid at scale. Not anymore.” Repeated requests to collect aid sitting at Kerem Shalom Crossing, Fletcher said, “have been systematically rejected. Food is rotting and medicines are expiring. No further hostages have been released.” He told the Council that “this total blockade of life saving aid, basic commodities and commercial goods will have a disastrous impact on the people in Gaza who remain dependent on a steady flow of assistance into the Strip.” The Under-Secretary-General said, “blocking food, water, medicine for people who need them is unconscionable. It also goes against international humanitarian law and the provisional orders of the International Court of Justice.” He called for the renewal of the ceasefire and said, “over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more are missing. Over 1,200 Israelis have been killed. Over 100,000 Palestinians are injured, many with life-changing wounds. The return to hostilities overnight must cease.” Fletcher also told the Council that the humanitarian response must be funded. In her address to the Council, United States representative Dorothy Shea said, “the blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas. This brutal terrorist organization has steadfastly refused every proposal and deadline they've been presented over the past few weeks, including a bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover to allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire.” Shea said, it was “the people of Gaza who will suffer further because of Hamas's disregard for human life.” Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said, “Palestinians are being killed indiscriminately, are being denied humanitarian aid indiscriminately, are being maimed and detained indiscriminately.” He said, “this can never be justified and must stop immediately.” Mansour told Council members to act. He said, “you have resolutions. Act. You have power. Act. Or, as my friend, the ambassador of Slovenia said, you become irrelevant. Act according to the power given to you by the charter of the United Nations.” For his part, Israeli Ambassador Jonathan Miller said, “we stand firm in our commitment to return the hostages and defeat Hamas, and it is time for the international community to take our commitment seriously. We will bring home every last hostage.” Miller said, “Hamas has refused to release our hostages and repeatedly rejected all the offers, both by the US and the mediating countries, even for the period of Ramadan. And thus the return to fighting is a necessity. The Israeli Ambassador said, “any discussion of humanitarian suffering that does not begin with the hostage release is not an honest discussion. For months, Israel took unprecedented steps to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel's war is against Hamas, not Gaza civilians. And yet, despite our efforts, Hamas refuses every opportunity for peace. It refuses to release the hostages.” Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his shock at the Israeli airstrikes and strongly appealed for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished, and for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally. Full Remarks: https://www.unocha.org/news/renewed-airstrikes-gaza-un-relief-chief-urges-restoration-ceasefire


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