The global community has let down the residents of Gaza, the UN Secretary-General stated. Since Israel initiated its military campaign in reaction to the Hamas-led terrorist assaults on October 7, over 41,000 individuals have lost their lives. In addition, more than 90,000 people in Gaza have sustained injuries, with the majority being women and children.
“Two million Palestinians are currently confined to an area comparable to the size of the Shanghai International Airport, merely surviving—not living—amidst pools of sewage, heaps of garbage, and vast amounts of debris,” remarked the UN chief. “The only thing they can rely on is that tomorrow will be even worse.”
Regarding UNRWA’s challenges, he highlighted that, despite being a critical source of hope, at least 222 staff members from UNRWA, along with numerous family members, have died, with some casualties occurring while they were providing shelter during attacks—marking the highest fatality rate in the agency’s history. “The humanitarian response in Gaza is being severely hampered,” Mr. Guterres noted, emphasizing that repeated assaults on staff merely for fulfilling their duties are unacceptable.
He went on to say, “The mechanisms for protecting and facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries have failed. Efforts to remove UNRWA from its East Jerusalem headquarters are ongoing, and the agency faces political challenges as well.” He referenced ongoing disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining the agency’s long-standing efforts and pointed out proposed legislation in Israel’s Knesset intended to classify UNRWA as a terrorist organization, which would effectively ban its operations in Israeli areas.
Despite these dire circumstances, the Secretary-General affirmed, “UNRWA continues to operate under catastrophic conditions.” He expressed unwavering confidence in the organization’s neutrality and impartiality following an independent investigation into allegations of staff involvement in the October 7 attacks.
He noted that member states are demonstrating similar confidence, as nearly all donors have reinstated their funding, and 123 nations have endorsed a declaration reaffirming their commitments to UNRWA. “There is no alternative to this agency in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” he asserted. “Now is the time to enhance support for the agency’s essential mission with funding that is sufficient, predictable, and adaptable,” the UN chief concluded.
