Geneva: The UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern at the new wave of deadly Israeli airstrikes that have thrownGaza into “intolerable” suffering, calling for an immediate ceasefire,free humanitarian access, and the unconditional release of hostages. Speaking during a press encounter at the UN Office in Geneva on Tuesday, he vowed, “We will not give up on these objectives.”
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq conveyed that Mr. Guterres was shocked by the strikes, which reportedly claimed hundreds of lives overnight, as Israeli forces resumed widespread airstrikes even as fresh evacuation orders were issued. This abrupt return to hostilities has compounded the dire situation in Gaza.
In a briefing to the Security Council, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher confirmed that the resumption of airstrikes and new displacement orders have rolled back modest humanitarian gains made during a recent 42-day ceasefire. Fletcher revealed that since March 2, Israeli authorities have cut off essential supplies—food, medicine, fuel, and cooking gas—from Gaza, noting that aid waiting at Kerem Shalom crossing remains uncollected amid systematic rejections.
Fletcher warned that the suspension of vital aid and commercial materials has reversed progress achieved during the ceasefire, during which over 4,000 trucks of aid per week reached two million people, and hundreds received critical health services including polio vaccinations and maternity care. He also highlighted deteriorating conditions in the West Bank, where 95 Palestinians, including 17 children, have lost their lives this year as Israeli military operations intensify with the deployment of tanks for the first time in two decades, displacing around 40,000 Palestinians and triggering large-scale attacks on villages.
Concluding his briefing, Fletcher called for immediate action by ambassadors to open Gaza’s border crossings for humanitarian aid, renew the ceasefire, and secure additional funding for relief operations. He stressed that a renewed ceasefire is essential to protect civilians in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territory, and Israel, while also facilitating the release of hostages and detainees and restoring critical supplies to the region.
[SOURCE: UNITED NATIONS]
