UN Senior Humanitarian and Recovery Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag. UN: At least 101 hostages held in Gaza Peace and Security
At least 101 hostages are still being held in Gaza; all must be released immediately and unconditionally, UN Senior Humanitarian and Recovery Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag told the Security Council on Monday.
According to the World Health Organization data cited by Kaag, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and 93,000 injured since the start of the current round of the conflict in Gaza.
“Severe limb injuries, often leading to amputation, are a sad reflection of the tragedy of this war,” said Sigrid Kaag. “Many of the victims have multiple wounds.”
Children without a future
At least 625,000 children in Gaza are deprived of the opportunity to attend school.
“The future of these children is darkened by loss and deprivation,” continued the UN Senior Coordinator. – Every parent hopes for a prosperous future for their children. In Gaza, this universal parental desire is dulled by the grim reality of widespread destruction and a sense of hopelessness.”
Sigrid Kaag stressed that all parties to the conflict must refrain from using schools, shelters or the areas around them for military purposes.
“A Brief Glimmer of Hope”
Due to the collapse of essential services in the enclave, dangerous diseases such as polio, which seemed to be a thing of the past, are spreading again, the UN Senior Coordinator stressed. After intensive coordination with the Israeli authorities, WHO, UNRWA and UNICEF successfully completed the first of two rounds of vaccination campaigns. Agreed pauses in hostilities have allowed parents and children to safely access health centres and vaccination sites, offering a “brief glimmer of hope.”
“The polio campaign shows that even in the most dire circumstances, with the necessary political will, humanitarian goals can be achieved,” the UN Senior Coordinator said.
Conditions for a comprehensive peace
Sigrid Kaag says humanitarian aid is only a temporary solution to the situation in Gaza. A comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, she said, could only be achieved through the establishment of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel, whose legitimate security interests must be taken into account.