Secretary-General António Guterres expressed profound dismay at the renewed military operations in Gaza, prompting UN humanitarian efforts to persist in aiding all affected individuals, emphasizing the distressing reality that ‘nowhere is safe from attacks’ within the war-torn region.
James Elder from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recounted the harrowing experience at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, where the sound of exploding shells caused terror among traumatized children, immediately seeking solace by clinging to their mothers. ‘The bombs started just a few seconds after the ceasefire ended,’ Mr Elder reported from Khan Younis to journalists at UN Geneva, lamenting the relentless impact on children in this ongoing conflict.
‘As we approached Nasser hospital, there had been an attack—a missile, a rocket—children bearing the scars of war are everywhere, still huddled in corridors. Hundreds of women and children seek refuge here. You walk out of the intensive care unit, and you witness families of five crammed onto a mattress meant for two,’ he expressed, painting a grim picture of the situation.
The resumption of violence follows a temporary ceasefire that facilitated the delivery of crucial supplies like fuel, food, and water, rapidly consumed by the populace, according to humanitarian reports. Additionally, the pause allowed for the release of hostages from Hamas’s earlier attack on southern Israel, as well as the freeing of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.
Gaza’s health authorities have reported over 15,000 fatalities since the Israeli strikes commenced, with thousands of children feared trapped under debris. Mr. Elder highlighted that the conflict has led to approximately 1,000 child amputees in recent weeks.
Speaking to UN News later in the day, Mr Elder reiterated the difficult situation in Gaza, where nowhere remains safe. He vividly described the bombardment nearby from his base in the southern city of Rafah, urging leaders involved in the conflict to comprehend that allowing these attacks to resume results in the senseless loss of innocent lives, particularly children.
In writing on X (formerly Twitter), UN Chief Guterres called for a return to negotiations between the conflicting parties to establish a sustainable ceasefire, emphasizing, ‘The return to hostilities only emphasizes the urgency for a true humanitarian ceasefire.’
Similarly advocating for peace, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed deep concern over declarations by Israeli leaders aiming to escalate the military offensive. ‘The resumption of hostilities in Gaza is catastrophic,’ Türk stressed, urging immediate efforts from all parties and influential states to secure a ceasefire based on humanitarian and human rights principles.
Underscoring the paramount importance of upholding the rights of Palestinians and Israelis, Türk urged an immediate halt to violence and the unconditional release of remaining hostages. He emphasized compliance with international humanitarian law, particularly urging Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure the basic needs of Gaza’s population, including food, water, and medical care, are met. Türk reminded all parties of their obligation to facilitate swift and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza per humanitarian laws.
