U.N. Chief Emphasizes Road Deliveries for Gaza Aid
In a significant statement on Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the critical role of road deliveries in addressing the humanitarian needs of Gaza. During his visit to Cairo, where he met with Egypt’s top officials, Guterres underscored the necessity of ramping up commercial deliveries to manage the heavy goods required for Gaza’s humanitarian relief.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has global repercussions, and Guterres did not shy away from expressing his concerns about the international community’s response. “The daily assault on the human dignity of Palestinians is creating a crisis of credibility for the international community,” he remarked, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Guterres’ visit to Egypt’s border with Gaza shed light on the backlog of aid that has accumulated, calling it a moral outrage. Despite the war between Israel and Hamas, which has lasted over five months, aid has been slow to enter Gaza, with only limited amounts passing through Egypt’s Rafah Crossing and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing.
With Ramadan truce hopes diminishing and the threat of famine looming over the coastal enclave, international efforts have included proposals for air drops and maritime shipments. However, U.N. aid officials insist that land routes are the only viable option to scale up aid delivery effectively. Guterres pointed out that this would require Israel to ease restrictions at crossing points to facilitate the movement of relief supplies.
The U.N. Secretary-General also addressed the challenges faced by UNRWA, the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, which he described as essential for humanitarian efforts within Gaza. The agency has faced funding setbacks from several countries following allegations of staff involvement in a Hamas attack, which has led to a pause in contributions from nations like the United States and Britain.
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini expressed his disappointment over the continued U.S. funding ban but remained hopeful for future advocacy efforts. “We very much regret Washington’s decision,” Lazzarini stated, indicating a window of opportunity next year to lobby for a reversal of the funding halt.
As international tensions persist, Guterres’ call for increased road deliveries serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for robust humanitarian support in regions affected by conflict.
