O.Next.- Guterres confirms that UNRWA is the “backbone” of aid provision to Gaza – Spain

Called on states to guarantee “continuity” of their work

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reaffirmed that the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is the “backbone of the entire humanitarian response” to the Gaza Strip and has called on States Members to guarantee that . Continuation of his work”.

Guterres stressed before the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, “I am personally horrified by these allegations and yesterday I met with donors to hear their concerns and the steps we are taking to address them. , described them.”

In this sense, Guterres has highlighted the importance of maintaining URNWA’s vital work in meeting the extreme needs of civilians in the Palestinian enclaves as well as “in the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria”.

His words come after the UN agency announced the expulsion of 12 members of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the launch of an investigation for their alleged involvement in the attacks carried out by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on October 7, which killed 1,200 people and nearly 240 hostages were released. ,

Subsequently, several countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy, Finland and Japan, suspended their financial contributions to the agency amid widespread concern that it would have “catastrophic consequences” on the delivery of aid to the Gazan population.

collapse of human order

On the other hand, he highlighted that “the humanitarian system is collapsing.” “I am extremely concerned about the inhumane conditions faced by Gaza’s 2.2 million people, who are struggling to survive without meeting their basic needs,” he recalled.

Guterres detailed that more than 26,700 Palestinians have been killed since last October 7; About 70 percent of civilian infrastructure has been destroyed and 1.7 million people have been displaced due to the bombing.

He said, “I call for quick, secure, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access to all of Gaza. This is especially important in the north, where most missions have been rejected by Israel.”

Similarly, he has become “extremely concerned” by “the high level of settler violence in the occupied West Bank”. “Palestinian attacks against Israelis also continue. All this violence must stop and those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.

He concluded, “The conflict must end with a concrete process towards a two-state solution: an end to the occupation and the establishment of a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, of which Gaza is an integral part.”