The Secretary General of the United Nations visited Egypt this Saturday, March 23, and more precisely to the gates of the Gaza Strip. Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end the “nightmare”. The head of Israeli diplomacy strongly attacked him, via the social network X.
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After more than five months of war, while the enclave of Gaza is devastated, its population displaced, on the verge of famine, Antonio Guterres visited the Egyptian side of the city of Rafah this Saturday, to draw attention to the “ pain » Palestinians, prisoners of a “ endless nightmare “, he said.
He visited the Egyptian border post the day after the rejection of a UN Security Council resolution.UN for a truce in Gaza, and insisted on the need for an end to the fighting. “ you are not alone “, he said to the Palestinians, during a statement to the press, without however announcing any concrete measures.
Now more than ever, an immediate humanitarian ceasefire is needed, the guns must be silenced. The Palestinians of Gaza, children, women, men, are still stuck in a never-ending nightmare. Communities wiped out, houses demolished, entire families and generations wiped out, with hunger, the family affecting the population. Ramadan is a time to spread the values of compassion, community and peace. And it is monstrous that after so much suffering, after so many months, the Palestinians of Gaza are experiencing Ramadan with Israeli bombs still falling, bullets still flying, humanitarian aid still facing obstacles.
Statement by Antonio Guterres from Rafah
“ There is no justification for the horrific attacks by Hamas on October 7. And nothing justifies the collective punishment suffered by the Palestinian people », considers the number one of the UN, who calls on the Palestinian organization to “ immediately release all hostages » kidnapped during his unprecedented attack on Israeli soil.
Mr. Guterres also asked Israel to take a “ strong commitment » to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. He also attracted the wrath of Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who sharply attacked the UN boss on the social network X this Saturday.
Nothing justifies the horrific attacks by Hamas.
Nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
It’s time for a humanitarian ceasefire, a commitment by Israel for unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza, and the release of all hostages.— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 23, 2024
Antonio Guterres blamed Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, without in any way condemning Hamas terrorists who loot aid », Considers the head of Israeli diplomacy. And to accuse: “ Under his leadership, the UN became an anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli organization. »
the UN Secretary-General @antonioguterresstood today on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing and blamed Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, without condemning in any way the Hamas-ISIS terrorists who plunder humanitarian aid, without condemning @UNRWA that…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 23, 2024
Israel accuses the Secretary General of attributing exclusively responsibility for the humanitarian situation in Gaza to him, without placing it in the same way on Hamas. This annoyance began when Mr. Guterres asserted that the attacks by the Palestinian group on October 7 did not occur in a vacuum.
Several ministers in Israel then requested his resignation, recalls our correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Paul, outright accusing him of apologizing for terrorism for his alleged appeasement of Hamas. They even declared that the diplomat was no longer welcome in Israel.
Mainly targeted: UNWRA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel has accused twelve of its members of participating in October 7. And hundreds more, the army estimates, are part of Hamas. Since the start of the war, Israel has revoked or rejected the visas of several United Nations officials.
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