UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the media at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Ramadan and solidarity visit: UN Secretary General visited Rafah checkpoint on the border of Egypt and Gaza Humanitarian aid
On Saturday, during a visit to the Rafah checkpoint on the Egypt-Gaza border, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a final stop to the fire in Gaza and to ensure the delivery of necessary aid to the besieged enclave. In particular, the UN chief called on Israel to “make a firm commitment to access aid to Gaza.”
The UN chief began his annual solidarity visit to the region this weekend, marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This year, as part of this tradition, established during his time as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Guterres will visit Egypt and Jordan.
Meetings with Palestinian families
Early Saturday morning, the UN chief met with Palestinian civilians and their relatives at a hospital in El-Arish, Egypt. After talking with them, the UN chief said that he was deeply touched by the stories of these people who had to go through such trials.
After the hospital, the Secretary General headed to the Rafah checkpoint, a border crossing through which humanitarian aid is brought into Gaza. Speaking to reporters there, Guterres recalled that the holy month of Ramadan symbolizes the ideas of compassion, unity and peace.
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On the first day of Ramadan, the UN chief called for a truce in Gaza
According to the Secretary General, “it is monstrous that after so many months of suffering, Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating Ramadan against the backdrop of Israeli shelling,” and attempts to deliver humanitarian aid are encountering many obstacles.
“As I fast with you during Ramadan, I am deeply concerned that so many people in Gaza do not have what they need for iftar,” said the Secretary-General.
On Friday, we recall that the Security Council once again failed to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Delays in authorizing the delivery of aid are “immoral”
“Being here at this crossing, we can see the tragedy and inhumanity of what is happening,” he said, pointing to a long line of trucks with humanitarian aid awaiting permission to pass through Gaza while children in the enclave are dying of hunger.
“This is more than tragic, it is immoral,” he said, adding that “any further offensive [in Gaza] will only make the situation worse” for Palestinian civilians, Israeli hostages and all residents of the region.
Release the hostages
According to the Secretary General, the tragedy is unfolding before the eyes of the whole world indicates that it is necessary to cease fire in Gaza, ensure the unhindered delivery of aid to the enclave and release – in the spirit of Ramadan – all hostages taken by Hamas and other armed groups during the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Support UNRWA
He also called on all UN member states to support the “life-saving work” led by the agency UN Relief for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Addressing Palestinians in Gaza, the UN chief promised that the United Nations would not leave them in the lurch. “You are not alone,” he said.