The United Nations chief renewed his demand for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, saying civilians “have been besieged, denied aid, killed and bombed out of their homes” for nearly one month in Israel’s retaliation after Hamas’ surprise attacks. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement late Friday that he is “horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital,” calling the images of bodies strewn on the street “harrowing.” “Maya! Maya! Water! Water!” is now the refrain from people on Gaza streets, the Gaza director for the UNRWA, the United Nation’s agency for Palestinian refugees, said Friday. Thomas White described Gaza as “a scene of death and destruction.” No place is safe now, he said, and people fear for their lives, their futures, and that they will not be able to feed their families.
Quick Read
- UN chief demands humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza
- Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an immediate cease-fire; civilians are suffering greatly under the ongoing conflict.
- Guterres expressed horror at the attack on an ambulance convoy in Gaza and stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.
- Desperate need for food and water in Gaza, says UN official
- Situation: People in Gaza are in dire need of basic supplies, with water scarcity becoming a critical issue.
- Response: UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) is working to distribute bread and water; however, the situation is worsening, with infrastructure damage limiting access to water.
The Associated Press has the story:
UN Chief renews his demand for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza
Newslooks- UNITED NATIONS (AP)
The United Nations chief renewed his demand for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, saying civilians “have been besieged, denied aid, killed and bombed out of their homes” for nearly one month in Israel’s retaliation after Hamas’ surprise attacks.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement late Friday that he is “horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa hospital,” calling the images of bodies strewn on the street “harrowing.”
The secretary-general said international humanitarian law must be respected, including protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure — and not using civilians as human shields. He also called for the delivery of humanitarian supplies across Gaza “at a scale commensurate with this dramatic situation.”
PEOPLE IN GAZA ARE DESPERATE FOR FOOD AND WATER, U.N. OFFICIAL SAYS
UNITED NATIONS — “Maya! Maya! Water! Water!” is now the refrain from people on Gaza streets, the Gaza director for the UNRWA, the United Nation’s agency for Palestinian refugees, said Friday.
Thomas White described Gaza as “a scene of death and destruction.” No place is safe now, he said, and people fear for their lives, their futures, and that they will not be able to feed their families.
UNRWA is supporting about 89 bakeries across Gaza aiming to get bread to 1.7 million people, White said in a video briefing to diplomats from the U.N.’s 193 member nations. The average person in Gaza is living on two pieces of bread made from flour the U.N. had stockpiled in the territory, he said.
But “now people are beyond looking for bread. It’s looking for water,” he said.
U.N. deputy Middle East coordinator Lynn Hastings, who is also the humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said only one of three water supply lines from Israel is operational and “many people are relying on brackish or saline ground water, if at all.”
