UN chief seeks 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire' after Gaza hospital strike
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls on Israel to "immediately allow unrestricted access of humanitarian aid" to the people of besieged Gaza.
The death toll caused by Israeli air strike on the hospital is by far the highest of any single incident in besieged Gaza during the current violence. Photo: AFP.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" after a hospital in besieged Gaza was hit by Israeli air strike, killing at least 500 Palestinians.
He added that the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel did not justify the "collective punishment" of Palestinians.
Speaking at a forum of China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative in Beijing, he reiterated what he called "two urgent humanitarian appeals".
He called on Hamas for the "immediate and unconditional release of hostages" and called on Israel to "immediately allow unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to respond to the most basic needs of the people of Gaza, the overwhelming majority of whom are women and children".
Separately in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Guterres said the UN had stocks of food, water, medical supplies and fuel available to dispatch if delivery could be ensured
The @UN has stocks available of food, water, medical supplies & fuel in Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank & Israel.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 15, 2023
They can be dispatched within hours.
To ensure delivery, our staff need to be able to bring these supplies into and throughout Gaza safely, and without impediment.
"I call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to provide sufficient time and space to help realise my two appeals and to ease the epic human suffering we are witnessing," Guterres said.
"Too many lives and the fate of the entire region hang in the balance."
As we are on the verge of the abyss in the Middle East, I have two humanitarian appeals:
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 15, 2023
To Hamas, the hostages must be immediately released without conditions.
To Israel, rapid & unimpeded access for humanitarian aid must be granted for the sake of the civilians in Gaza.
'Horrified'
The UN chief said he was "horrified" by a deadly blast that ripped through a hospital in Gaza late Tuesday, killing hundreds of civilians.
"My heart is with the families of the victims. Hospitals and medical personnel are protected under international humanitarian law," Guterres said in a post on X.
Guterres also condemned an attack on a school run by the UN in a Gaza refugee camp that killed six people.
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