The European Union (EU) established a new humanitarian air bridge to Gaza; United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asked the Security Council (UNSC) to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
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| The EU is actively promoting the transportation of aid to the Gaza Strip, to help people cope with the humanitarian crisis. (Source: AP) |
The EU plans to organise six new humanitarian flights to the Gaza Strip in December, bringing the total EU aid supply to over 1,000 tonnes, with 30 flights under the humanitarian air bridge.
The flights will transport tents, hygiene kits and medical equipment provided by humanitarian partners, as well as donations from Belgium, Ireland, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Germany.
In addition, the EU is stepping up support to Egypt’s health system to receive evacuees from Gaza. Through the Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU is facilitating requests for assistance from Sweden, Spain, Austria, Poland, Italy and Germany to Egypt.
On November 29, Sweden and Spain delivered essential medical equipment with logistical support from Belgium. An Italian ship carrying medical equipment arrived in Egypt on December 3. The rest of the aid will be delivered in the coming weeks.
In a related move, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the same day asked the Security Council to take action to prevent the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
According to UN Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Mr. Guterres wrote a letter to the President of the Security Council to request action, in which he invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since becoming UN Secretary-General in 2017. In addition, the UN chief also called on the parties involved to declare a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes.
Article 99 of the UN Charter provides: “The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”
Sharing the same view with Secretary-General Guterres, in an interview with AFP news agency on December 6, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi stated that the massive influx of Palestinians into neighboring countries would be a "disaster" and highlighted the need for a ceasefire.
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