“For almost a month now, the world has been watching in shock and horror the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, where the death toll continues to rise and lives are destroyed,” said the leaders of eighteen UN organizations, including children’s rights agency Unicef, the World Health Organization ( WHO) and the World Food Program (WFP).
“In Israel, according to Israeli authorities, 1,400 people have been killed and thousands injured. More than 200 people, including children, were taken hostage. Missiles traumatize families. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced. That is terrible,” the UN leaders said about Hamas’ actions.
“However, the gruesome killings of even more civilians in Gaza are a shame, as is the cutting off of 2.2 million Palestinians from food, water, medicine, electricity and fuel,” the statement also said.
In the Gaza Strip, where Hamas says 9,770 people have been killed, “an entire population is under siege and attack, denied access to essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship,” it said. “That is unacceptable.”
In addition, more than 100 attacks have been carried out against health care and 88 staff of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have been killed, “the highest number of UN deaths ever in a single conflict”.
The UN organizations therefore urge both parties to comply with international law and ask Hamas to release the hostages. They also call for the protection of civilian infrastructure and more aid supplies for all people in need in the Gaza Strip.
“Thirty days have passed. Enough is enough. This must stop now,” the statement concludes.
