New York - Jerusalem: Europe, Arabs and Agencies
The United Nations Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process called for maintaining and respecting the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and the “devastating war” in Gaza entering its sixth month.
Tor Wensland pointed out - in a press statement - that the Israeli authorities guarantee that the Muslim population in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is allowed to access the holy places. He called on all parties to refrain from provocations and exercise maximum restraint.
"The war in Gaza has greatly jeopardized the fragile stability in the region," Wensland said. He added that the month of Ramadan this year comes in light of the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian crisis, the collapse of law and order in Gaza, the increase in civilian casualties, and the lack of stability throughout the West Bank.
Warning of religious conflict
Tor Wensland said that there was an increasing risk of a broader political and security catastrophe, and stressed the need to avoid this by all possible means. He stressed the need to reject any attempt by extremists to turn the conflict into a religious conflict, adding that failure to do so would only lead to sowing discord and more violence and extremism.
He expressed his rejection of calls by Hamas and other Palestinian factions to escalate the situation during the holy month. He said that the sanctity of Ramadan cannot and should not be used to achieve political gains and calculations.
He said: "After more than 150 days of war, the people of Gaza must see an end to the horrors they continue to suffer. Likewise for the hostages who are still being held, they must be reunited with their loved ones who are also suffering enormous pain."
He stressed the need not to use the fate of the victims as a means of pressure, and said that civilians on both sides must not continue to pay the price of this terrible conflict.
This came as the Chief Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator in Gaza welcomed the opening of the sea corridor to deliver additional much-needed humanitarian aid by sea, and praised the leadership of Cyprus and the support provided by the European Commission, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and others.
In a press statement, UN official Sikhrid Kach confirmed that there is no real alternative to the many land routes and entry points from Israel to Gaza, to deliver aid in the required size. She said that land routes from Egypt - especially Rafah - and Jordan remain essential for humanitarian efforts in general.
She stated that the sea corridor will bring a much-needed addition, and is part of the sustainable humanitarian response to provide relief in the most effective ways and through all possible methods. She stressed the utmost importance of the safety and security of civilians in Gaza. She said security is also important to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and the effective delivery of aid.
Sikhrid Kach said that a joint international technical team is now in Cyprus to work with the national authorities and partners, in accordance with the new international mechanism for Gaza that was established in accordance with Security Council Resolution No. 2720.