Moscow - Gaza: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that the expanding circle of countries that recognized the State of Palestine indicates a growing global position in support of reaching an urgent solution to the Palestinian issue.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website regarding the results of Lavrov’s meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions of Arab countries: “The Foreign Minister indicated that the advancement of various peace concepts and the expansion of the circle of countries that recognized the State of Palestine testify to the growing position of the global majority in support of a just and urgent solution to the Palestinian issue.” "As a basic condition for achieving long-term stability in the Middle East." According to what was reported by the Youm7 news website in Cairo
This comes after the World Food Program said that the Israeli incursion into Rafah has a devastating impact on civilians and humanitarian operations, and called for the opening of all crossing points into Gaza, with hunger escalating, especially in the center and south of the Strip. According to what was stated in the United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning
In a statement issued yesterday, Thursday, the program said that there was “not much” it could do in the city amid severe restrictions on movement and significantly reduced humanitarian stocks, while humanitarian organizations struggled to access aid, especially from the Kerem Shalom crossing, “due to the ongoing conflict.” , impassable roads, unexploded ordnance, fuel shortages, delays at checkpoints, and Israeli restrictions.”
He added: "We need the Israeli authorities to facilitate the collection and delivery of humanitarian supplies entering Kerem Shalom. Opening a border crossing is not enough."
The World Food Program said that although some commercial goods have reached Gaza, people cannot afford the exorbitant prices, and stressed the need to bring more aid through the south “because people need dietary diversity, access to health care, and water.”
He added that restrictions on access to southern parts of Gaza risked causing the same disastrous levels of hunger seen in the north. He said: “North Gaza, which has been the center of famine warnings, is now improving due to access granted last month. However, the Hunger levels in central and southern Gaza are deteriorating rapidly.”
The World Food Program called for an enabling environment for its partners, including UN agencies and the broader humanitarian community, and said it could not “do [the response] alone.” He stated that he was doing everything he could to accommodate the rapid developments on the ground, but reiterated the need to shift from responding to basic needs to a more sustainable response with a long-term impact.
He added: “We want to move from providing canned foods, biscuits (fortified with nutrients) and ready meals to providing people with the purchasing power to choose the food their families want and investing in local markets, infrastructure and food systems to have a tangible impact on people’s health and nutrition.”
The UN agency said that Gazans are exhausted by ongoing displacement, hunger and fear, and are desperate for the war to end - "as are the humanitarian workers on the ground, who have been largely displaced along with the people they are supposed to serve."
The World Food Program renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of humanitarian spaces. He said: "Further escalation of the conflict in Gaza could lead to a worsening of the humanitarian catastrophe and the cessation of relief operations. All parties must ensure regular access of humanitarian aid until a ceasefire is agreed upon."