In a joint appeal, the heads of 11 UN agencies and six humanitarian organisations have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The plea was issued on Sunday night, emphasising the need to safeguard civilians and ensure swift access to essential resources, including food, water, medicine, and fuel.
Leaders of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, responsible for monitoring the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, strongly condemned the October 7 attacks by Hamas, labeling them as “horrific.”
They decried the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and the deprivation of 2.2 million Palestinians from vital necessities, such as food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel.
The UN reported that over 23,000 injured people require immediate medical attention, placing significant strain on hospitals in the region.
The joint statement highlighted the dire situation of aid workers, with numerous casualties since October 7, including 88 colleagues from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), marking the highest number of UN fatalities in a single conflict.
The plea called for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held hostage and stressed the importance of safeguarding civilians and vital infrastructure like hospitals, shelters, and schools.
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“An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals, and places of worship,” the joint statement said.
The statement also emphasised the urgent need for increased aid, including food, water, medicine, and fuel, to enter Gaza safely and reach those in need, especially women and children.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Gaza has experienced its third total communications blackout since the Israeli offensive on October 7. Palestinian communications company Paltel announced the disruption of “communication and internet services.” Internet access advocacy group NetBlocks.org confirmed the limitations on communication in the besieged enclave, reported Associated Press.
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Despite continued calls from the US for Israel to halt its relentless bombardment of Gaza and the mounting civilian casualties, Israeli airstrikes on Sunday targeted two refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 53 fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to multiple reports.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict has now surpassed 9,700, with over 4,000 of them being children and minors, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. Additionally, in the occupied West Bank, more than 140 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing violence and Israeli raids.