New York - Gaza: Europe and the Arabs
The UNFPA Regional Director for the Arab States region said she could not find the right words to describe the “catastrophic situation in Gaza and the complete loss of humanity.” She added that what the Gaza Strip is going through is "unprecedented brutality that is unmatched by anything in recent human history." According to what was stated in the daily United Nations news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning
In an interview with United Nations News, Laila Bakr said, “2.2 million people, including 50,000 pregnant women, including 5,500 about to give birth, have been trapped in the Gaza Strip for a month.”
She expressed concern "at the targeting of hospitals and medical personnel" and said that these actions worsen the situation of pregnant women. She stressed that the UNFPA team on the ground is doing its utmost to support pregnant women with assistance, even though it is simple, but it can "make the difference between life and death."
The UN official also alerted to the situation that girls are experiencing in light of the lack of privacy in shelters crowded with displaced people.
Bakr stressed, "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."
She pointed out that the Fund and other humanitarian organizations 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.
In the same context, the United Nations spokesman issued a statement in which he said: “One month after the horrific events of October 7, the Secretary-General renews his absolute condemnation of the terrorist acts committed by Hamas in Israel, which cannot be justified.”
In his statement, Stephane Dujarric said that the Secretary-General will never forget the horrific images of civilians being killed and injured while others were taken into custody.
Secretary-General António Guterres renewed his call for their immediate and unconditional release.
The statement stated that the Secretary-General remains saddened by the killing of civilians in Gaza and by the humanitarian catastrophe that is still unfolding in the Strip with its unimaginable effects on civilians. In the statement, Guterres renewed his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.