UN Secretary-General calls situation in Gaza "crisis of humanity"

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an area that he said is becoming a "graveyard" for hundreds of Palestinian children every day.

Source: Holos Ameryky (Voice of America)

Details:  Guterres called on all parties to the armed conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, saying that no party should be ignoring it.

He said that respect for international humanitarian law, among other things, includes the protection of civilians (and not using civilians as human shields), hospitals, UN facilities, shelters and schools in the Gaza Strip, as well as increasing the amount of aid and fuel supplied to the Gaza Strip.

Gutteres added that the "nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis. It is a crisis of humanity", adding that both the parties to the conflict and the international community bear responsibility for ending the suffering.

Quote from Guterres: "The way forward is clear. A humanitarian ceasefire — now.

This means the unconditional release of the hostages in Gaza. Now.

I will never relent in working for their immediate release."

Background:

• On 5 November, the head of the World Food Programme called for safe and expanded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip from the Rafah border crossing point as critical food supplies reached dangerously low levels.

• The Israeli military reported that they had completely encircled the city of Gaza and divided the coastal enclave in two.

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