UN Secretary General, António Guterres, on Wednesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East to ease the “epic human suffering” in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Speaking in Beijing, Guterres said a ceasefire would “provide sufficient time and space” to realise two essential appeals which he made earlier this week.
He appealed to Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages held in Gaza and to Israel, to immediately allow aid to enter the sealed-off enclave in the throes of a devastating humanitarian crisis.
“The region is on the precipice,” he warned.
The call came a day after hundreds were killed in a strike at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, which Guterres strongly condemned, stressing that hospitals and all medical personnel were protected under international law.
Both sides have blamed each other, with Gaza’s de facto authorities accusing the Israeli military, who in turn held misfired rockets launched by Islamic Jihad militants towards Israel responsible.
U.S. President, Joe Biden, is in Israel where he was met by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and pledged support for Israel saying he was “deeply saddened and outraged” by the lethal explosion at the hospital in Gaza City.
Biden also announced that Israel had agreed to let aid into the Gaza Strip across the border with Egypt, which was confirmed by Netanyahu’s office, according to news reports.
Meanwhile, the head of the UN Palestine refugee agency, Philippe Lazzarini, addressed an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and said “an unprecedented catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes.
“Gaza is being strangled and the world seems to have lost its humanity.
“Every hour we receive more and more desperate calls for help from people across the Gaza Strip. Thousands of civilians were killed over the last 12 days, including women and children.”
Trucks carrying lifesaving aid, still remained lined up at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
“Every second we wait to get medical aid in, we lose lives,” he said.
Guterres underscored that aid was desperately needed to respond to the basic needs of the people of Gaza, majority of whom were women and children.
“Too many lives – and the fate of the entire region – hang in the balance,” he said.