Guterres infuriates 'Israel' after calling out its violations, crimes
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UN agencies have repeatedly warned against a catastrophic situation in Gaza, yet whatever aid is allowed in is deemed minimal compared to the most basic needs.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters on October 24, 2023. (AP)
A UN organization warned on Wednesday that it would have to cease relief operations in Gaza in a few hours owing to running out of gasoline.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will be forced to cease its operations within hours as "Israel" continues to block fuel from entering the enclave, the UN humanitarian office said in a recent update.
“UNRWA, by far the largest humanitarian provider in Gaza, warned that unless fuel is allowed into Gaza immediately, the agency will be forced to halt all operations as of tomorrow, 25 October, at night,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, with hospitals, water treatment facilities, and food distribution efforts at risk of shutting down.
The UN refugee agency UNRWA had earlier issued a warning that operations were nearing breaking point following eighteen days of intense Israeli airstrikes and a near-complete siege of the Palestinian territories by land, sea, and air.
"If we do not get fuel urgently, we will be forced to halt our operations in the Gaza Strip," said the UN agency, which aids 600,000 Gazans who have been displaced.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "eliminate Hamas" and make sure it can no longer pose a threat to Israeli civilians. However, the effects of the Israeli aggression, which has claimed thousands of Palestinian lives, are causing increasing concern on a global scale.
The number of Palestinians martyred due to the Israeli aggression has surpassed 6,000, many of whom are children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The UN noted that Tuesday's toll -- more than 700 people -- was the greatest for a single day since the start of the aggression.
Over half of the population, or an estimated 1.4 million people, have been forcibly displaced. According to aid groups, hospitals are overcrowded and generators are running out of gasoline.
Fewer than the bare minimum required, according to relief organizations, a few dozen trucks carrying basic supplies have been permitted to enter Gaza over the Egyptian border so far. The Palestine Red Crescent announced on Tuesday that it had received eight trucks comprising the fourth shipment of humanitarian goods, yet no fuel is allowed in, putting the lives of the injured and patients at risk.
Extreme suffering
Tuesday's statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on "Israel" to end its aggression, citing the "epic suffering" that Gaza is currently experiencing.
"The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, the level of civilian casualties, and the wholesale destruction of neighborhoods continue to mount and are deeply alarming," he told the UN Security Council in New York.
"I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza," he added. "Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law."
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen reacted angrily to that warning and demanded Guterres to know, "Mr Secretary-General, in what world do you live?"
So far, proposals for a ceasefire have been rejected by "Israel" and its supporters. However, completely disregarding the thousands that have fallen victim to Israeli atrocities so far, US officials have hinted that in some locations, a more constrained "humanitarian pause" would be possible to get aid in.
UNRWA to suspend operations
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has announced that it will cease its operations in the Gaza Strip by Wednesday if essential fuel needs are not met.
As of Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said there are approximately 590,000 individuals who are taking refuge in 150 UNRWA facilities within Gaza.
In the same period, UNRWA verified the loss of 35 of its personnel in Gaza since October 7 and reported damage to 40 UN facilities.
"[UNRWA] warning: If we do not get fuel urgently, we will be forced to halt our operations in the Gaza Strip as of tomorrow night," UNRWA wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In another statement, UNRWA indicated that it would be compelled to halt the distribution of humanitarian assistance to individuals requiring it.
As Israelis continue to push for ethnic cleansing and genocide, Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military stated that no fuel shipments would be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.
Such actions represent undeniable evidence that the Israelis are undoubtfully seeking to ethnically cleanse Gaza and murder thousands of its civilians through bombing and unlawful siege.
"Fuel won't enter Gaza as Hamas uses it for its operational needs. Hamas can return the fuel it stole from UNRWA to hospitals," Hagari was quoted as saying by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
