UNITED NATINS, Nov 29 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Hamas\u2019s October 7 operations \u201ccannot justify\u201d Israel\u2019s collective punishment of Palestinian people\u201d in the war-torn Gaza Strip. In a statement issued for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN chief said that Palestinians were going through \u201cone of the darkest chapters\u201d of their history, adding, \u201cWe must be united in demanding an end to the occupation and the blockade of Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am horrified by the death and destruction that have engulfed the region, which is overwhelmed with pain, anguish, and heartache,\u201d he said. The secretary-general reiterated his call for a \u201clong-term\u201d ceasefire and the release of captives held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli prisons. \u201cPalestinians in Gaza are suffering a humanitarian catastrophe,\u201d Guterres said pointing out that almost 1.7 million people have been forced from their homes \u2013 but nowhere is safe.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, he noted, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, risks boiling over. \u201cI express my sincere condolences to the thousands of families who are mourning loved ones. This includes members of our own United Nations family killed in Gaza, representing the largest loss of personnel in the history of our organization.\u201d Across the region, Guterres said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency is an indispensable lifeline, delivering vital support to millions of Palestinian refugees. \u201cIt is more important than ever that the international community stands with UNRWA as a source of support for the Palestinian people,\u201d he said. \u201cAbove all, this is a day for reaffirming international solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to live in peace and dignity.\u201d He called for \u201cunrestricted access to lifesaving aid, the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and an end to violations of international humanitarian law.\u201d The temporary truce has given Palestinians in the besieged territory a brief respite from Israel\u2019s 7-week brutal war.<\/p>\n
Qatar, who mediated the deal, said Monday that the initial four-day truce had been extended by two days, continuing a pause in seven weeks of warfare that has killed thousands and laid waste to the besieged Palestinian enclave. So far, under the truce deal, Hamas has released a total of 69 captives while Israel has freed 150 Palestinian detainees. Guterres described an extended truce between Israel and the Hamas movement on Monday as \u201ca glimpse of hope and humanity,\u201d but warned it was not enough time to meet the aid needs of the Gaza Strip. The United Nations has been delivering some humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Rafah border crossing from Egypt. The world body also wants to be able to use the Kerem Shalom border crossing, controlled by Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATINS, Nov 29 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Hamas\u2019s October 7 operations \u201ccannot justify\u201d Israel\u2019s collective punishment of Palestinian people\u201d in the war-torn Gaza Strip. In a statement issued for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN […]<\/p>\n
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