At the United Nations, the leaders of all major UN agencies have issued an uncommon joint statement on Sunday, expressing their deep concern about the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza and calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
They stated that the world has been witnessing the distressing situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory with shock and horror for nearly a month, as the number of lives lost and shattered continues to rise. This joint statement comes from the heads of 18 organizations, including UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the World Health Organization.
Since the cross-border attack by Hamas from Gaza into Israel on October 7, which led to the death of approximately 1,400 people, primarily civilians according to Israeli authorities, Israel has responded with ongoing air and artillery strikes. These retaliatory actions have resulted in the deaths of at least 9,770 people, with the majority being civilians, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
The UN statement also emphasizes that the conflict has left more than 23,000 injured individuals in urgent need of medical treatment, putting a severe strain on already overwhelmed hospitals.
Source: AFP
