NEW YORK, (The Palestine Foundation Pakistan)
UN secretary‑general Antonio Guterres has called for allowing sufficient humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, stressing that these supplies have become a necessity to save lives amid the catastrophic conditions faced by the population.
“Lifesaving humanitarian aid must be allowed to enter Gaza at scale, and the international community must continue to stand firmly with UNRWA — an irreplaceable lifeline for millions of Palestinians, including Palestine refugees,” Guterres said on Saturday.
His remarks came in a message marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed globally on November 29 each year.
“This year’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People comes after two years of horrific suffering in Gaza, and the start of a much-needed ceasefire,” Guterres said, addressing the world.
“Survivors [in the Gaza Strip] are mourning the deaths of tens of thousands of friends and family – nearly a third of them children – and thousands more have been injured. Hunger, disease and trauma run rampant, while schools, homes and hospitals lie in ruins.”
“Injustice also continues in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with Israeli military operations, settler violence, settlement expansion, evictions, demolitions and threats of annexation.”
“At the same time, hundreds of humanitarians have been killed. The majority were Palestinian UN staff, marking the largest loss of personnel in the Organization’s history. More journalists have perished than in any conflict since the Second World War.”
“In so many ways, this tragedy has tested the norms and laws that have guided the international community for generations. The killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable under any circumstances.”
“On this International Day of Solidarity, let us draw inspiration from the Palestinian people themselves, whose resilience and hope are a testament to the human spirit. Let us stand in solidarity with their rights to dignity, justice and self-determination — and work together to build a peaceful future for all,” the UN chief concluded his message.
