Senior UN official says Security Council needs to do more on the ground to save civilian lives in Gaza
Sigrid Kaag updated the ambassadors on the implementation 2720 resolutionpassed last December, establishing her mandate after the brutal Hamas-led attack on October 7 on Israel and the start of fighting in Gaza.
She was also tasked with establishing a United Nations mechanism to expedite the delivery of humanitarian relief shipments to the region, which would be operated and managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
Supply routes are established
Ms. Kaag said that the “2720 Group” had Continuously engage on accessibility issues, address barriers and propose solutions to enable support from all aid partners, including the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWAwhich she called the “backbone” of humanitarian operations in Gaza.
She recalled that 11 months ago, the area was cut off from most supply lines, with only one access point remaining closed.
Despite the complex situation, her mission negotiated and strengthened supply lines and systems, as well as additional routes, in an effort to facilitate, accelerate and accelerate the flow of aid in a sustainable and transparent manner.
These routes include supplies from or through Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, the West Bank and Israel.
Humanitarian aid target not achieved
However, Ms Kaag said existing systems cannot replace the political will needed to reach people in Gaza and meet their needs.
“Effective humanitarian operations require quality, quantity and variety of goods to meet the daily needs of people in Gaza. That goal was not achieved.“, she said.
In addition, ongoing hostilities across the Gaza Strip, the breakdown of law and order, and looting of supplies are significant obstacles to UN aid distribution efforts there.
Humanitarians also face denials, delays and lack of safety and securityas well as poor logistics infrastructure.
The United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator, Sigrid Kaag, visits the Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis, Gaza (file).
Lives are at stake
“This continues to hamper relief operations despite recent approvals for trucks, satellite phones and other equipment,” Ms Kaag said, adding that work was underway to address these issues.
She said “Commitments and intentions need to be translated into concrete actions on the ground.”, warning that “any delay in implementation will come at a direct cost in human lives”.
Areas of action
Meanwhile, her mission continues to focus on ensuring access to a wide range of goods from the humanitarian and commercial sectors, with an emphasis on critical areas.
“There has been modest progress in certain areas, such as waste and wastewater management. However, this does not address all the needs. For example, cash, fuel reserves and hygiene items are urgently needed,” she said.
Furthermore, she added that the range of humanitarian items allowed into the country remains too limited, while the UN is also in dire need of importing more vital security communications and surveillance equipment.
Implement agreed protocols
Ms. Kaag said one New Joint Steering Committee is currently operational but noted that “recent security incidents, including the shooting of a humanitarian aid convoy, are unacceptable and demonstrate that agreed protocols and procedures still need to be implemented comprehensively and in a timely manner”.
She also praised the recent medical evacuation of 251 patients and family members to the United Arab Emirates – the largest evacuation from Gaza to date. However, more than 14,000 patients still require specialist medical treatment outside Gaza, showing that there is still much work to be done.
Recovery cannot wait
Stressing that “humanitarian aid is only a temporary way to alleviate suffering,” Ms. Kaag asserted that a comprehensive, just and lasting peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians.
“Under this light, Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction should not wait.”, she said, stressing the need for education, health care, housing, besides establishing governance and security measures.
“The position of the United Nations is clear,” she continued. “The Palestinian Authority must continue to fully implement its responsibilities in Gaza. Prime Minister (Mohammed) Mustafa’s cabinet has developed comprehensive plans to restore local governance, security and re-establish the rule of law.”
International planning efforts by the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and many others are underway to support the Palestinian Authority, she said, and her mission has developed funding options for the international community to consider.
The mechanism is working
Meanwhile, Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva told the Council that UNOPS is committed to supporting Ms Kaag’s mission.
He said the UN mechanism has been operating a database of humanitarian aid shipments into Gaza, which has been operational since May and is publicly accessible.
To date, 229 shipments have requested clearance and 175 have been approved, 101 have been delivered, 17 are awaiting clearance and 37 have been refused.
This translates to More than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered.including food and nutrition, shelter, water and sanitation (WASH) and medical aid.
Jordan Aid Corridor
“The shipments are mainly delivered via the Jordan Corridor, a direct route from Jordan to Gaza that is formalized and regularized under a mechanism that provides much-needed predictability and regularity and addresses the ongoing challenges associated with convoys going through multiple checkpoints and transshipments,” he said.
He explained that humanitarian medical shipments via this route pass through a single checkpoint in Jordan and a single transit point in Gaza. Before the UN mechanism, there were three checkpoints and four transit points.
A smaller portion of shipments are routed through the Cyprus corridor – “an important additional route for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza” that is “not intended to replace or divert attention from existing land or sea corridors, but rather to enhance overall capacity”.
Building trust and transparency
He added that in response to donor requests, UNOPS is ready to address the current logistical challenges facing the Cyprus corridor “by providing a comprehensive solution that ensures coordinated, efficient and transparent aid delivery.”
To support the regulation of the corridors under the UN mechanism, UNOPS deployed 14 international monitors to Cyprus and Jordan to verify the humanitarian nature of each shipment, facilitate approval of shipments for delivery to Gaza, and track the journey from the point of origin until handover to the final recipient in Gaza for further delivery.
“It is this mechanism that fosters trust among people and brings transparency, informing us all that what is sent to Gaza actually reaches its final destination.“, he said.
For unauthorized shipments, the UN mechanism always requires a justifiable reason.
UNRWA continues to provide assistance to people in Gaza.
Allow more aid
Mr. Moreira da Silva said UNOPS and Ms. Kaag’s Office continue to call for more goods and consignors to be allowed into Gaza.
“Eleven of our international monitors are also ready to deploy inside Gaza, to strengthen this important verification and monitoring mechanism as an additional boost to our joint efforts to accelerate and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza,” he said.
‘Vital lifeline’ from Egypt
He then turned to the Egyptian corridor, which has served as a “vital artery” for delivering aid to Gaza since the conflict broke out.
UNOPS is working closely with the Egyptian authorities to fully integrate this route into the mechanism and a team will be in Cairo this week to finalize the process.
“Once completed, the 2720 mechanism will provide a comprehensive, real-time overview of all humanitarian cargo entering the country. to Gaza from all supply routes. This will allow for better prioritization, tracking and monitoring of relief efforts until the moment of delivery,” he said.
Support all routes
He told the Council that UNOPS was committed to supporting the full operational capacity of each corridor.
The office is purchasing 280 trucks for the Jordan route, in addition to building 10 additional warehouses for the Jordan Hashemite Charity and establishing two truck depots at the border crossing and King Hussein Bridge inspection site.
UNOPS is also securing 38 trucks for use by humanitarian organizations inside Gaza. to be able to deliver aid shipments through different corridors.
“We have procured armoured vehicles, communications equipment and other necessary security equipment that will enhance the operational capacity of the mechanism’s international monitors inside Gaza, which includes 11 monitors, without putting pressure on the already limited resources of the remaining humanitarian community,” he said.
The UNOPS chief thanked Member States for their financial support to the UN mechanism. He stressed that effective delivery of assistance at the scale required would not be possible without political will, the necessary security and safety guarantees, and an enabling environment.
