New York [US], November 9: Laila Bakr, Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund for the Arab States said that the catastrophic situation that Gaza Strip has been going through is "an unprecedented and unparalleled brutality in the history of humanity in recent times."
She said in an interview with the UN official published on the UN News website that 2.2 million people, amongst them 50,000 pregnant women, were besieged for one month.
Bakr expressed concern about targeting hospitals and medical personnel, and said that these actions worsen the situation of pregnant women.
She stressed that the most important thing now is a ceasefire, and allowing not only the entry of aid, but also the rebuilding of Gaza, and helping the people of the Gaza Strip to remain in their homes in safety and without any fear.
Bakr pointed out that the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and other humanitarian organizations that are trying to help in this very difficult moment cannot be an alternative to the government or entities working in the health or civil sector or the protection sector. She expressed her happiness that there was action from the heads of the UN agencies, which underscores the importance of the issue and the significance of adhering to international humanitarian law to deliver aid and care for more than 2.2 million people who have been besieged during the past four weeks. It is not only a form of pressure but also an appeal and demand for the right of 2.2 million people not only to live but to live in dignity and security.
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General recently called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons. He stressed the need to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including workers in the humanitarian and medical fields. He underlined the need to allow entry of basic supplies and services, and the unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the Strip in a safe manner and on a scale commensurate with this tragic situation.
He also announced that the UN and its partners had launched a humanitarian appeal worth $1.2 billion to help 2.7 million people, including the entire population of the Gaza Strip and 500,000 people in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Source: Times of Oman
