UN Deputy Chief Amina Mohammed addresses Gaza ministerial conference in Cairo on behalf of Secretary-General. Egypt Conference: UN Calls for Urgent Action to End Gaza Crisis Humanitarian Aid
Speaking on behalf of the UN Secretary-General to a ministerial conference in Cairo, his First Deputy, Amina Mohammed, called on the international community to join forces to overcome the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The conference, convened by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, is devoted to the humanitarian response in Gaza.
“We are here to help increase vital aid to the Palestinian people, prepare for a potential ceasefire, and begin to lay the groundwork for recovery and reconstruction,” Mohammed said.
“Apocalyptic” crisis
The UN Deputy Chief described a horrific picture of destruction in Gaza. More than 44,000 people, most of them women and children, have reportedly died in the conflict. The situation has reached, as Mohammed noted, “horrific and apocalyptic” proportions. Almost the entire population of Gaza has been forced to flee their homes, and hunger levels are rapidly increasing. At the same time, according to the speech, Gaza now ranks first in the world in the number of children with amputations per capita.
Mohammed called for immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access, highlighting the potential serious violations of international law in the current situation.
Humanitarian efforts and political will
She described the dangerous conditions in which UN humanitarian agencies and their partners work. Cargo is looted, and delivery is hampered by destroyed infrastructure and unexploded ordnance. “The humanitarian community is doing everything it can, but the obstacles are enormous,” Mohammed said.
At the same time, according to her, the crisis in Gaza is not due to logistical problems, but to a lack of political will and respect for the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
The role of UNRWA
The UN representative recalled that 251 employees of the world organization have died since the beginning of the conflict. Most of them worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In addition, humanitarian facilities, including the agency’s hospitals and schools, have been repeatedly targeted, further exacerbating the crisis.
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Mohammed called UNRWA a “factor of stability and trust,” emphasizing its critical importance. She warned that the possible closure of UNRWA as a result of Israeli legislative initiatives would leave a void that could not be filled and would place full responsibility for the welfare of the Palestinians on Israel as the occupying power.
“The Collapse of Humanity”
Mohammed concluded her speech by calling for a political solution to the conflict, stressing the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and compliance with international law. The Deputy Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to the two-state solution, in which Israel and Palestine can coexist peacefully, with Jerusalem as the capital of both.
“The nightmare in Gaza is nothing less than a complete collapse of our common humanity,” she said.
“Four days ago, Hassan, an UNRWA worker, was moving his family to safety with prior permission. They came under fire, and his wife and three daughters were killed, leaving only himself and his son alive,” Mohammed said.
“The time has come to act. We must act decisively – this catastrophic conflict must end,” the UN Deputy Chief stressed.