Security Council: Political affairs chief stresses ‘urgent need’ for Gaza ceasefire
More than 100 people were reported killed in the attack on Al-Tabeen School in Gaza City, which took place during morning prayers. It was one of at least 21 attacks on school shelters recorded since July 4.
“It pointed again. urgent need to achieve a ceasefire, rescue hostages and increase humanitarian aid”, Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told ambassadors at Security Council.
The attack was also “not an isolated incident”, Lisa Doughten, director of partnerships at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has been added.
“Sadly, these large-scale incidents are just some of the countless ways in which this terrible conflict is causing unbearable suffering and destruction,” said Ms Doughten.
Safe space is shrinking
In her briefing, Ms. DiCarlo noted that as hostilities continue across the Gaza Strip, the situation remains dire.
“There is no safe place in Gaza, but Civilians continue to be ordered to evacuate to ever-shrinking areas.“, she said.
She also highlighted the escalating tensions in the region, especially along the Green Line separating the Israeli and Lebanese armed forces.
Since July 31, numerous shells have been fired from Lebanon across the Green Line border, causing damage to buildings and wildfires in open areas, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has responded with airstrikes in southern Lebanon.
In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the situation is worsening amid IDF airstrikes and ground operations that have resulted in Palestinian deaths as well as attacks by Palestinian armed groups on Israelis.
De-escalate now
“If we want to stop the slide toward an even greater disaster, All parties must cease all escalatory rhetoric and actions.”, Ms. DiCarlo emphasized.
Praising Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their mediation efforts, she reiterated the urgency of achieving a ceasefire, securing the release of hostages and delivering vital humanitarian aid.
She stressed that “there is no more time to waste”.
Unbearable pain
Ms Doughten stressed that recent attacks and strikes targeting schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza have increased.
Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas-led attacks on October 7 sparked the war, with more than 90,000 injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Another 10,000 remain missing, believed trapped under rubble.
As of August 9, 115 hostages remained, including several declared dead and whose remains remain in Gaza.
Furthermore, the healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of collapse, with widespread destruction and mass displacement exacerbating the humanitarian crisis as people are forced to live in overcrowded and unsafe temporary shelters with few essential resources.
Relief efforts ‘continue’
Amid the devastation, the humanitarian community remains steadfast in its efforts to deliver an effective response, doing everything possible to scale up food aid, provide education, build health capacity and deliver vaccines, she stressed.
“However, In the current situation, access restrictions and high levels of instability seriously hamper the humanitarian response.”, she added, listing challenges ranging from severe insecurity to aid restrictions imposed by the Israeli government.
The humanitarian requests “are often repeated but remain the same,” Ms Doughten reiterated.
These include an immediate cessation of hostilities and a lasting ceasefire, strict compliance with international humanitarian law by all parties, the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians and ensuring unimpeded aid throughout Gaza, including through UNRWAUnited Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees.
“Finally, as we have said before in this context, All Member States must use all their leverage to prevent and end violations of international humanitarian law.including through diplomatic and economic pressure and conditioning arms exports on compliance with the rules of war and cooperation in combating lawlessness.”
Overview of the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
