Wounded by bombs and bullets, the United Nations puts pressure on Israel over the humanitarian situation in Gaza

The United Nations (UN) has accused Israel of blocking the delivery of vital aid to Gaza, while the US ambassador has called on the government to do more to address the "unbearable humanitarian crisis" in the Palestinian enclave.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is getting worse, requiring action from all parties involved. (Source: AP)

UN acting emergency relief coordinator Joyce Msuya and US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield increased pressure on Israel during an emergency meeting of the Security Council over the escalating humanitarian situation, particularly in northern Gaza.

The meeting comes after the US warned Israel to increase aid or face a cutoff in arms funding. The Biden administration has given Israel 30 days to launch humanitarian relief operations, including sending 350 trucks of food and aid into Gaza each day.

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon insisted that the country's humanitarian efforts remained "as comprehensive as ever" and criticized the council for focusing only on the humanitarian situation in Gaza while Israeli civilians "face enemy bombs every day".

According to Mr. Danon, Israel has provided more than 1 million tons of aid to Gaza, including 700,000 tons of food, since the start of the military campaign on October 7, 2023.

Mr Danon also accused the international community of "turning a blind eye" to Hamas' seizure of aid shipments while Palestinians suffered.

“This makes it really difficult to ensure that aid gets to those in need,” said Mr. Danon.

Israel, however, remains committed to working with partners to deliver aid, “even under dangerous and morally reprehensible conditions.”

Msuya described the bleak picture in northern Gaza, where Israel has been conducting several offensives. There is little food left, no food has been delivered to the area since 2-15 October and “most bakeries will have to close in the next few days if there is no more fuel”.

According to Msuya, across Gaza, less than a third of the 286 humanitarian missions coordinated with Israeli authorities in the first two weeks of October 2024 “were carried out without incident or delay.”

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, also accused Israel of besieging, bombing and starving 400,000 Palestinians in northern Gaza.

In addition, US Ambassador to the UN Thomas-Greenfield pointed out that since the US warning about the humanitarian situation, Israel has deployed two dozen trucks into the northern part of the strip after weeks of stagnation.

However, according to Ms. Thomas-Greenfield, Israel’s current progress is “insufficient.” Tel Aviv must fulfill its commitments, including opening more border crossings and roads, and taking measures “to protect delivery routes from armed gangs involved in many violent robberies.”

The US ambassador also warned that the "starvation policy" in northern Gaza was "horrific and unacceptable", and that Israel would face consequences under international law and US law.

“The Israeli government has pledged that food and other essential supplies will not be cut off, and we will monitor to ensure that Tel Aviv’s actions on the ground are consistent with this commitment,” Ms. Thomas-Greenfield stressed.

At the meeting, members repeatedly called on the Security Council (UNSC) to take action to end the more than year-long conflict in Gaza.

Guyana's UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett expressed disappointment that 47 UNSC meetings and four legally binding resolutions in 2024, including a ceasefire demand, "have not achieved the expected results, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate day by day".

Ms Thomas-Greenfield called on all Security Council members to support the UN as it works with Israel to increase aid deliveries, and said the US focus in the coming months would be on "getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, rescuing hostages and ending the conflict".

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tang-thuong-vi-mua-bom-bao-dan-lien-hop-quoc-gay-suc-ep-len-israel-ve-tinh-hinh-nhan-dao-tai-gaza-290510.html