Leading United Nations officials demanded on Monday “an end to the appalling human suffering and humanitarian catastrophe” in the Gaza Strip, nearly a year into the Israeli offensive in the Palestinian enclave.
“These atrocities must end,” they said in a statement signed by the heads of UN agencies that include Unicef and the World Food Programme along with other aid groups as world leaders gathered in New York for the annual UN General Assembly.
“Humanitarians must have safe and unimpeded access to those in need,” the statement said. “We cannot do our jobs in the face of overwhelming need and ongoing violence.”
The UN has long complained of obstacles to getting aid into Gaza during the war and distributing it amid “total lawlessness” in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Nearly 300 humanitarian aid workers, more than two-thirds of them UN staff, have been killed. “The risk of famine persists with all 2.1 million residents still in urgent need of food and livelihood assistance as humanitarian access remains restricted,” the UN officials said.
Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and the UK said on Monday they would team up to develop a declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel and invite all countries to sign.
