UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) "is the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza."
During his speech on Wednesday at the opening session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), Guterres expressed his deep concern by the inhumane conditions faced by Gaza's 2.2 million people, as they struggle to survive without any of the basics amidst the ongoing Israeli aggression since Oc. 7, 2023.
"The death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief in Gaza over the past 120 days are a scar on our shared humanity and conscience," the UN Secretary-General said.
"Everyone in Gaza is hungry, while half a million grapple with catastrophic levels of food insecurity," he continued.
"I call for a rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza. This is particularly crucial in the north, where most missions have been denied access by Israel, amid continued insecurity and fighting," Guterres said.
Guterres added that he was horrified by the allegations against UNRWA staff members, noting that the organization moved immediately to confront them, stressing the importance of the continuation of UNRWA's vital work in the occupied territories and neighboring countries, especially in Gaza, where the humanitarian system is collapsing.
He reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, and asked all parties to work closely with the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza to scale up humanitarian aid to Gaza, reiterating that there is nothing can justify the collective punishment of the people in Gaza.
"The ongoing conflict and relentless bombardment by Israeli forces across Gaza have resulted in killings of civilians and destruction at a pace and scale unlike anything we have witnessed in recent years," he stressed.
The UN Secretary-General said that only the two-State solution can ensure the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people as well as a just and lasting peace and stability in the region.
"The conflict must end with tangible progress towards a two-State solution an end to the occupation and the establishment of a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, of which Gaza is an integral part," Guterres said.
He pointed out that the international community "must not waver in its commitment. Let us work together to advance a meaningful peace process that will put an end to the tragic cycles of fear, hatred and violence and build a more peaceful and hopeful future for Palestinians and Israelis."
In 1975, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) established the CEIRPP, and requested it to recommend a programme of implementation to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty; and to return to their homes and property from which they had been displaced. (QNA)
