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The heads of all major UN agencies have issued a rare joint statement Sunday calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza, and describing “shock and horror” at the “spiralling numbers of lives lost and torn apart”.
“For almost a month, the world has been watching the unfolding situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in shock and horror at the spiralling numbers of lives lost and torn apart,” the UN chiefs said.
In Gaza, the statement said, “An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable,” they said in a joint statement.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now,” the statement said.
“Civilians and the infrastructure they rely on – including hospitals, shelters and schools – must be protected.”
“More aid – food, water, medicine and of course fuel – must enter Gaza safely, swiftly and at the scale needed, and must reach people in need, especially women and children, wherever they are,” the statement added.
The call comes as Israeli bombardment of Gaza continued after the deadly Hamas attacks of October 7th, which Israel says left 1,400 people dead and another 200 held hostage by Hamas.
More than 9,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 25,000 have been wounded, the Gaza Ministry of Health said on Sunday, according to the New York Times.
Hospitals in the tiny strip report being overwhelmed as the death toll rises. “Doctors say they are struggling to keep their patients alive with what few medical supplies they have. Damage from airstrikes and severe fuel shortages have shut down nearly half of Gaza’s hospitals entirely, while the ones with their doors still open are providing minimal care, at best, doctors say,” the paper reported.
The UN statement also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held hostage.
"An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable."
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"We renew our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held… pic.twitter.com/2e1lWBAdRs— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) November 6, 2023
“In Israel, some 1,400 people have been killed and thousands have been injured, according to the Israeli authorities. More than 200 people, including children, have been taken hostage. Rockets continue to traumatize families. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced. This is horrific,” the joint statement said.
“However, the horrific killings of even more civilians in Gaza is an outrage, as is cutting off 2.2 million Palestinians from food, water, medicine, electricity and fuel.”
“In Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health, nearly 9,500 people have been killed, including 3,900 children and over 2,400 women. More than 23,000 injured people require immediate treatment within overstretched hospitals.”
The 18 signatories to the joint statement include U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths and Filippo Grani, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
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