Brussels - Capitals: Europe and the Arabs

“I fully support the warning that Israel's request to evacuate a million civilians from northern Gaza across a densely populated war zone to a place without food, water or shelter in an area under siege is extremely dangerous and almost impossible,” European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on the X platform. "formerly Twitter"

An official at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that the situation in the Gaza Strip is "very difficult" and that it will be "catastrophic" if it continues as it is, as it will result in a humanitarian catastrophe, in light of the violence that has been continuing for days. I love what was stated in the United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Saturday morning
Salim Owais, media officer at UNICEF’s office in the Middle East and North Africa, said - in an interview with UN News - that the number of children killed in Gaza so far has reached 500, while 1,600 have been injured, indicating that these numbers are increasing.
Owais added that the impact on families and children is not only in deaths and injuries, but also in the "psychological impact", and their impact on the interruption of supplies, in light of preventing the entry of supplies into the Gaza Strip, and cutting off water and electricity.
He pointed to the impact of this on hospitals, some of which have enough fuel to operate them “only for a few days.”
He said that "the risk of children being exposed to diseases increases greatly" due to damage to water and sewage networks.
No place is safe
The official at UNICEF's office in the Middle East and North Africa renewed the call "for truces and humanitarian corridors to deliver aid into Gaza," adding that "there is no solution except to stop the violence and allow supplies to enter the Gaza Strip."
He added that the Israeli forces' calls to transfer more than a million civilians living in northern Gaza within 24 hours constitute a "dangerous escalation in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip."
He added that one million people have no safe place to go, "unfortunately there is no safe place in Gaza."
He pointed out that many of these civilians were displaced more than once during the past days, "and it is impossible to transfer these families from the north to the south at that specific time."
This came as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that transferring more than a million people in Gaza, according to the orders of the Israeli army, through a densely populated war zone to the south of the Strip, where there is no food, water or shelter places - when the entire region is under siege - is an order. Very dangerous and may not be possible in some cases.
The Secretary-General's statements to reporters outside the UN Security Council hall came before his participation in the closed consultations held by the Council on Friday afternoon on the situation in the Middle East.
Guterres said that the situation in Gaza has reached a new dangerous level. He referred to "the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and injured thousands on Saturday, and the subsequent intense bombing of Gaza that led to the death of 1,800 people and injured thousands."
The Secretary-General added that hospitals in southern Gaza have reached their maximum capacity and will not be able to receive thousands of new patients from the north.
According to the Secretary-General, the health system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse, noting that 11 health workers were killed while performing their work, and that 34 attacks occurred on health facilities during the past few days.
He added that the entire Gaza Strip is facing a water crisis, as infrastructure has been damaged and electricity is not available to pumping and water desalination stations.
The Secretary-General emphasized that United Nations staff and partners are working around the clock to support the people of Gaza. He expressed sadness over the killing of UN employees, saying that their number is increasing daily.

"Even war has rules"
Guterres stated that he is in constant contact with leaders across the region, focusing on ways to alleviate suffering and prevent further dangerous escalation in the West Bank and other areas in the region, especially southern Lebanon.
He expressed deep concern about the exchange of fire across the Blue Line, and stressed the need to stop this matter.
The Secretary-General stressed the need to ensure immediate humanitarian access throughout Gaza, to bring fuel, food and water to all those in need. “Even war has rules,” he said, stressing the need to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law, protect civilians, and never use them as shields.
He also called for the immediate release of all hostages in Gaza.
He said that it is imperative that all parties, and those with influence, do everything possible to achieve these steps.
Antonio Guterres spoke about what he described as the hatred fueled by this terrible conflict throughout the Middle East and around the world, stressing the rejection of language that dehumanizes people and incites violence.
He called on the leaders to speak out against anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim fanaticism, and hate speech of all kinds.
He concluded his press statements by saying: "It is time for the international community to come together to protect civilians and find a lasting solution to this endless cycle of death and destruction."