United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday demanded the immediate release of hostages by Hamas and urged Israel to expedite humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
Guterres also warned that the Middle East was “on the brink of abyss.” Highlighting the dire situation, he mentioned that Gaza faces a severe shortage of essentials like water, electricity, and other fundamental supplies.
He emphasized the UN’s readiness to dispatch crucial reserves of food, medicine, and fuel from neighboring regions, including Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel. However, a safe and immediate passage is imperative to deliver these supplies across Gaza.
The Secretary-General strongly advocated for the hostages’ unconditional release by Hamas. He emphasized that the objectives of humanitarian aid and hostage release should not be seen as trade-offs.
“Both actions hold intrinsic value and should be executed as they are the right course of action,” Guterres stated, emphasizing the urgency given the region’s precarious state.
Tensions surged when Israel declared war, following attacks by Hamas on military establishments and Israeli residential areas, resulting in over 1,400 fatalities as per Israeli sources.
This declaration was followed by seven continuous days of Israeli airstrikes, devastating various Gaza neighborhoods and claiming approximately 2,670 lives, with over 9,600 injured – the majority being civilians.
During this turmoil, Gaza experienced a complete halt in the supply of water, food, and fuel from Israel, which resumed only recently in Gaza’s southern parts.
The Israeli defense forces, emphasizing safety concerns, directed the northern Gaza Strip’s vast population (approximately 1.1 million residents) to relocate to the south. The Israeli military reported that Hamas took 155 hostages, with some bodies discovered during brief incursions into the region.
For those seeking updates on the Middle East situation, the focus remains on the immediate release of hostages and the crucial need for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
