Guterres says that the protection of civilians is “paramount” and added that the laws of war establish clear rules to respect humanitarian concerns…reports Asian Lite News
Civilians in Gaza are becoming more desperate by the hour as food shortages and hunger grow in the enclave amid an Israeli bombing campaign against Hamas, the UN World Food Programme has warned.
Thousands of civilians stormed a UN-run warehouse in Gaza, where the WFP is storing food commodities.
The events followed a 24-hour communication blackout and persistent access challenges that brought all WFP operations to a halt, leaving staff and partners incommunicado.
Also Read
The warehouse was used to store some of the humanitarian supplies from trucks coming from Egypt ahead of distribution to displaced families. The warehouse contained some 80 tons of mixed food commodities, mainly canned food, wheat flour and sunflower oil.
“This is a sign of people losing hope and becoming more desperate by the minute. They are hungry, isolated, and have been suffering violence and immense distress for three weeks,” said Samer Abdeljaber, WFP representative and country director in Palestine.
“We need a humanitarian pause to be able to reach the people in need with food, water and basic necessities, safely and effectively. Much more access is urgently needed, and the trickle of supplies needs to become a flow.”
Fuel shortages and loss of connectivity are also threatening to bring humanitarian operations to a halt, WFP warned. Without additional fuel supplies, bakeries working with WFP in the enclave are no longer operational and transporters cannot deliver food where it is needed.
WFP plans to provide food to over 1 million people who are going hungry now and requires a steady supply of food with at least 40 WFP trucks able to cross daily into Gaza in order to meet the escalating needs.
So far, emergency food and cash assistance has reached over 635,200 people in both Gaza and the West Bank.
‘Protection of civilians is paramount’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the protection of civilians is “paramount” and added that the laws of war establish clear rules to protect the life of humans and respect humanitarian concerns.
Taking to X, Guterres stated, “The protection of civilians is paramount. The Laws of War establish clear rules to protect human life and respect humanitarian concerns. Those laws cannot be contorted for the sake of expedience.”
According to the latest updates in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israel’s ground forces continue to operate in the northern section of the Gaza Strip, killing Hamas terrorists and destroying the facilities of the terror group, The Times of Israel reported citing Israel Defence Forces.
According to the IDF, troops killed a number of Hamas gunmen who opened fire on ground forces in Gaza, as well as other terrorists identified on a beach in Gaza near the southern Israeli village of Zikim. Ground soldiers, including tanks, hit anti-tank guided missile positions, observation posts, and other Hamas infrastructure, The Times of Israel reported, citing the Israeli Defence Forces.
“The forces also directed the Air Force to carry out strikes against buildings used by the terror group,” the IDF added. The IDF has also released a video depicting forces operating in Gaza today, as well as some of the most recent attacks on the territory.
Czech Defense Minister calls to quit UN
Meanwhile, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova has called for her country to leave the United Nations following the General Assembly’s approval of a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza that didn’t mention Hamas or the hundreds of hostages abducted by the group.
The Czech Republic, one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe, was one of only 14 countries that opposed Friday’s resolution, which came three weeks after Hamas massacred more than 1,400 persons in Israel and took some 230 others hostage to Gaza, including dozens of foreign nationals.
“In my opinion, the Czech Republic has no place in an organization that cheers on terrorists and does not respect the fundamental right to self-defence,” Cernochova said. “Let’s get out.”
Her remarks were posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by the executive director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer.
Israel has decried the “despicable” resolution as “a day of infamy” for the world body, while Hamas has praised it.
Only 14 countries voted against the resolution, including Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Guatemala, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga and the United States.
“Exactly three weeks ago, Hamas murdered over 1,400 Israelis, more victims for their population than the militant Islamist organization al-Qaeda murdered in the US on 9/11. And only 14 countries, including ours, have spoken out clearly and understandably against this unprecedented terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas terrorists! I am ashamed of the UN,” Cernochova said.
ALSO READ-EC president approves Czech national recovery plan
[soliloquy id="151345"]