On October 7th, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi brought together leaders from various countries to discuss ways to reduce tensions after Hamas entered Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza and a blockade of the area.

The gathering occurred the day following the UN leader’s visit to the Rafah border crossing in the northern Sinai region of Egypt, which is currently the only open border crossing with Gaza.

He stated that he witnessed a paradox: a live display of a humanitarian disaster.

Mr. Guterres pointed out that a large number of trucks carrying necessary supplies were present on the Egyptian side. However, on the other side of the border, two million individuals in Gaza did not have access to basic necessities such as water, food, fuel, electricity, and medicine.

UN working nonstop

“Those trucks need to move as quickly as possible in a massive, sustained and safe way from Egypt into Gaza,” said Mr. Guterres, adding that the UN is working nonstop with all parties towards a continuous delivery of aid at the scale that is needed.

The Secretary-General emphasized the importance of clear near-term objectives, reiterating his plea for prompt, unimpeded, and continuous humanitarian assistance to Gaza. He also called for Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all hostages, and for a humanitarian ceasefire to be put in place.

According to him, the complaints of the Palestinian community are valid and have been ongoing for a long time. However, the inexcusable actions of Hamas, which caused terror for Israeli civilians, cannot be justified. It should also be noted that these repulsive attacks cannot be used as a reason to punish the entire Palestinian population.

Time for action

The Secretary-General stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law, which involves safeguarding civilians and refraining from assaulting hospitals, schools, and UN facilities that are currently providing refuge for 500,000 individuals.

He also emphasized the importance of not disregarding the only viable basis for genuine peace and stability: a two-state resolution for both Israelis and Palestinians.

“It is time to take action,” he stated, calling for an end to this terrible nightmare.

Taking steps to create a future that honors the aspirations of the youth in Palestine, Israel, the surrounding area, and the global community.

Release all hostages

The spokesperson stated that the UN leader was thankful to the Emir of Qatar for his help in securing the release of two American hostages in Gaza. This occurred on Saturday.

Mr. Guterres once again urged for the prompt and unconditional release of all hostages and reiterated his plea for unimpeded and continuous humanitarian aid in Gaza, complete adherence to international laws, and safeguarding of civilians. He also urged for global intervention to prevent the conflict from spreading beyond the current region.

UN political engagement

After the Cairo Summit, the United Nations’ Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process released a statement praising Egypt for organizing the summit.

“According to Tor Wennesland, we, together with the Secretary-General, have carried on with the United Nations’ political efforts to engage with relevant parties in the region and beyond in order to stop the violence and avoid any more harm to innocent civilians.”

The ambassador acknowledged the common worries regarding the potential for the conflict to spread and praised the numerous requests for a political resolution as the best course of action.

The aid convoy is a significant advancement.

He expressed gratitude to the Egyptian officials for enabling the initial aid convoy to enter Gaza via the Rafah border crossing that morning. He emphasized the significance of this action and urged for it to not be the final one.

The speaker urged for safe and continuous aid in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent and immense needs in the war-torn area. They called for everyone to do their part in saving lives.

Mr. Wennesland restated the Secretary-General’s pressing call for the prompt and unconditional release of captives and an immediate pause in hostilities for humanitarian reasons.

Source: news.un.org