Guterres speaks of an “epic humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and calls for “a true humanitarian ceasefire”

2023-11-29 20:40:25

In an organization like the United Nations, given its structure and financing, the role and action capabilities of the General secretary are often limited compared to those of the member countries. Often for this position the greatest weapon is the word. And is the rhetoric what Antonio Guterres continues to appeal to try to appeal for a change in the situation in Gazawhere this Wednesday he assured that a “epic humanitarian catastrophe.”

The Portuguese has opened another session of the Security Council dedicated to the crisis, organized by China, which this month held the rotating presidency, and which included the participation of Beijing’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, as well as several diplomatic officials from Arab countries.

Before them, Guterres welcomed the “intense negotiations” that are taking place to extend the truce that in recent days has allowed the release of hostages from Hamas and Palestinian prisoners of Israel and increase the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid, but he has also asked for something more. “We need a true humanitarian ceasefire,” she said.

This request for a ceasefire is a message that has also been sent by other participants in the meeting, including the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki and that of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. But it is an idea that has the frontal rejection of Israel, as the ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, has recalled, and which the main ally of Binyamin Netanyahu’s government does not support either: USA. The ambassador of Joe Biden’s government, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has insisted that they support “a extension of the humanitarian pause”.

Insufficient resolution

Guterres appeared 15 days after the Security Council, the body in charge of maintaining peace and security, managed in a fifth attempt to unblock itself and approve a resolution that stipulated humanitarian pauses. He had to do balance of how that text is being applied. And the diagnosis has not been flattering. “So far it is clear that implementation has been only partial, at bestforks unfortunately insufficient”he lamented.

Reviewing the situation helps explain Guterres’ tone. The Secretary General recalled that More than 14,000 people have died, two-thirds of them children and women. He has also denounced that, before the pause in hostilities, acts “serious violations” and has stressed, for example, that the 80% of the population has had to leave their homes, and that 45% of those homes have been damaged or destroyed. “There is no safe place in Gaza”, he denounced.

The Portuguese has also highlighted that in 82 UN facilities in the Strip, supposedly inviolable, there have been 104 incidents, including 24 since the Nov. 15 resolution was passed. He has spoken of the 218 displaced people who have died as they took refuge in schools run by the UN agency for them. And he has also recalled that in this conflict there have been 111 dead among UN personnel, “the largest loss of personnel in the history of the organization.”

Guterres has also assured that the help level that is entering Gaza “remains totally inappropriate for the needs of more than two million people”, and has specifically highlighted that the fuel inlet It is “insufficient to sustain basic operations.” Furthermore, he has reiterated his request for that other crossings be opened apart from Rafah.

Palestine and Israel

The session in New York has once again exposed the unbridgeable gap between Israel and the Palestinians on the ceasefire. Erdan, the ambassador of Israel, has assured that “anyone who supports a ceasefire basically supports Hamas’ continued reign of terror in Gaza“, he said, ensuring that it is “a genocidal terrorist organization” and “is not a reliable partner for peace.”

In front of him, Al-Maliki, The Palestinian foreign minister defended that “the truce must become a permanent ceasefire. The massacres cannot be allowed to return,” he said. “This is not a war, it is carnage that nothing and no one can justify. It must end.”

Prince Al Saud has also assured that “a truce is not enough” to request a ceasefire. “The danger is that if this truce expires, we will return to the slaughter on the scale we have seen, which is unbearable“, he assured the press before entering the meeting.