The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, regretted this Wednesday that at least 11 of the organization’s workers who are working in Gaza have already “paid the highest price” for the support they are giving to civilians in the region. .
“About 220,000 Palestinians are now refugees in 92 facilities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza. Staff work around the clock to support the people from Gaza and I am deeply sorry that some of my colleagues have already paid a higher price”said Guterres, without mentioning specific cases.
In a statement that lasted less than two minutes, the UN secretary-general said he was following the “dramatic developments” in the region and in constant contact with regional leaders, maintaining efforts to ensure that the conflict “does not spread.”
“I am concerned about the recent exchange of gunfire along the Blue Line [fronteira entre Israel e Líbano] and information about attacks from southern Lebanon,” he also indicated, calling on those involved to “avoid any escalation and extension” of the conflict.
António Guterres also called, as he had already done, for the immediate release of all hostages and highlighted the need for total and reiterated respect for international humanitarian law.
The former Portuguese Prime Minister again called for life-saving products, including fuel, food and water, to be allowed into Gaza:
“Now we need rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. (…) There is no time to waste. Every moment counts.”
Deaths in the last four days
At least 11 UNRWA workers have died in the last four days following Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip, official sources reported today.
Among the dead were five UNRWA professors, a gynecologist, an engineer, a psychological counselor and three support staff, according to a statement from the UN agency.
In the information note, the agency also specifies that, in addition to these fatalities, 30 UNRWA students – 17 girls and 13 boys – also died after the bombings carried out by Israeli forces in the Palestinian enclave, controlled since 2007 by the movement. Islamist Hamas.
Eight other minors were injured, the same source stated.
The UNRWA statement also recalled that, according to the local Ministry of Health, at least a thousand people, including almost 300 minors, “were killed” during the Israeli incursions, while more than five thousand people were injured.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross announced that five employees of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) network died this Wednesday.
In a statement, the International Federation confirmed “the death of five members of the network as a result of armed hostilities in Israel and the Gaza Strip,” including four rescuers.
The organization claimed that the deaths occurred when ambulances were attacked.
Also in the note released today, UNRWA denounces that, since October 7 (Saturday) – when the conflict broke out – it has recorded “collateral and direct” damage to twenty of its facilities, “including schools that house displaced civilians who were hit by airstrikes,” in addition to their headquarters in Gaza.
“United Nations buildings, schools and other civilian infrastructure, including those housing displaced families, must never be attacked,” the UN system agency stressed.
According to the same source, at least 264,000 people are displaced within Gaza and, of this total, 175,500 are taking refuge in more than 80 UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip, while “many others” seek refuge in managed health centers. by the UN agency.
“The numbers continue to rise as Israeli airstrikes continue. So far, 16 people sheltering in two UNRWA schools have been injured, two of them seriously, as a result of nearby airstrikes,” the agency said.
He also indicated that many of the shelters are full and “have limited availability of food, other basic items and drinking water”, at a time of total blockade imposed by Israel against Gaza that, according to the UN, could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. .
Hamas launched an unprecedented land, sea and air attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, in the biggest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades.
The attack led Israel to declare a state of war and respond with bombings against the Gaza Strip.
Since then, the conflict has caused more than 1,200 deaths on the Israeli side and 1,055 in Gaza, according to data updated today by both sides.
Israel has imposed a complete siege on the Gaza Strip and has cut off water, fuel and electricity supplies.
All Gaza crossing points are closed, making it impossible for fuel to enter the power plant or generators that residents and hospitals depend on.
The Gaza Strip has around 2.3 million inhabitants, making it one of the most densely populated territories in the world.
Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and the European Union (EU).
Source: TSF
