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UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the UN General Assembly on Thursday that fighting in the Middle East must stop immediately. He urged Israel and the Palestinians to cease fire immediately and pledged to issue a comprehensive humanitarian appeal to raise funds.
At a meeting convened by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group, Guterres said: “The past ten days have witnessed a surge of deadly violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip and Israel, which has increased dangerously and horribly.”
The head of the United Nations added: “I am deeply shocked by the continuous air strikes and shelling by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip.”
Guterres emphasized that nine members of a family were killed in the Shati refugee camp. He was “shocked” by this. Guterres also emphasized: “If there is hell on earth, it is the life of children in Gaza. .”
He said he was also extremely concerned about the destruction of the media office in Gaza and the killing of a journalist in Gaza, and emphasized that journalists have the right to carry out their work.
According to the United Nations, the bombing claimed the lives of 208 Palestinians, including 60 children, and wounded thousands of people. Hamas fired rockets at Israel, killing 12 people, including two children and wounding hundreds of others.
Guterres said that the hostilities have severely damaged Gaza’s critical infrastructure, including roads and power lines. The crosswalk has been closed and power shortages are affecting the water supply. Hundreds of houses were destroyed. The airstrikes also damaged several hospitals, which are already heavily burdened by the coronavirus pandemic.
Guterres said that more than 50,000 Palestinians have fled their homes in Gaza, and many are looking for shelter in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), where water and food supplies are restricted.
He went on to say that aid agencies must be able to perform their tasks, noting that the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund and the Humanitarian Coordinator plan to donate $14 million to the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Access to humanitarian supplies is crucial. The attacks by militant groups on areas around border crossings are unacceptable.”
Guterres called on Israel to allow barrier-free access to the Gaza Strip and provide humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel and medical supplies. He also expressed concern about the rockets launched from Gaza, which have reached Tel Aviv and its suburbs and Ben Gurion Airport and claimed the lives of civilians.
The Secretary-General emphasized: “Even in war, there are rules,” and civilians must be protected. Indiscriminate attacks and attacks on civilians and civilian property are violations of the laws of war. “
Guterres added: “There is no reason, including counter-terrorism or self-defense, that would cause the parties to a conflict to waive their obligations under international humanitarian law.”
He urged the Israeli authorities to abide by the laws on armed conflicts, including the proportional use of force, and called on the Israeli authorities to exercise maximum restraint in military operations.
He also urged Hamas and other armed groups to stop the indiscriminate firing of rockets and mortars from densely populated civilian communities to Israeli civilian population centers, which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Guterres emphasized that densely populated civilian areas should not be used for military purposes.
The head of the United Nations expressed deep concern over the continued violent clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and urged Israel to stop demolitions and expulsions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Guterres said he is working with Egypt, Jordan and Qatar to encourage all parties to stop violence and engage with all parties to the conflict, including Hamas, to ensure an end to hostilities.
The United Nations supports a two-state solution based on the 1967 route. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and Palestine.
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