UN Security Council 'paralysed' over Gaza Says: Guterres

 

UN Paralyzed Over Gaza Ceasefire, I Can Promise I Won't Give Up: Antonio Guterres

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has said that the United Nations is paralyzed, and he regrets the failure of the Security Council's resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.On Friday, the US vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying such a move would be dangerous and unrealistic.Speaking at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Antonio Guterres said, "The institution's authority and reputation have been seriously damaged by the failure to implement this decision." However, he added, "I can promise that I will not give up.'

The referendum came after Guterres used Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring to the attention of the Council 'any matter which, in his opinion, is prejudicial to the establishment of international peace and security'. He had explained that 'we fear that there may be an increase in humanitarian activities after this case.'

Qatar's prime minister has said his country will continue to press Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire. Dozens of hostages and Palestinian prisoners abducted by Israel have been freed under a deal brokered by Qatar in recent weeks of fighting.

The Israeli army continues its ground offensive in all areas of Gaza and has directed the two million civilians there to move to the 'humanitarian zone' of al-Mawasi. This zone is only 8.5 square kilometers, which is smaller in size than London's Heathrow Airport.

Al-Mawasi is actually a thin strip bordering the Mediterranean Sea. There are very few buildings, mostly sand dunes and farmland.ReemAbd Rabi has spent the past several weeks sleeping on the ground and sharing a tent with four other families in the al-Mawasi area. However, when she reached here, she did not see any basic facilities. Speaking to the BBC, Reem said that al-Mawasi is a desolate area that is "not a place for human habitation."

The head of the World Health Organization, Dr.TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus, has said that the effects on health are devastating and the health system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse. He said that because of Israel's forcing Palestinians to move to the smallest area, "a favorable environment is being created for the spread of the disease."

He said that there is one bathroom for every 750 people and one toilet for every 150 people in Gaza. In addition, according to him, only 14 of the 36 hospitals initially in Gaza are operational, two of which are in the north and 12 in the south. It should be noted that earlier, a senior aid official of the United Nations warned that due to the ongoing war in Gaza, half of the population there is suffering from starvation.

Karl Skow, deputy director of the United Nations World Food Program, said that only a fraction of essential goods are getting into the Gaza Strip, leaving nine out of 10 people without even a daily meal. Mr. Skow said the warring conditions in Gaza had made the delivery of supplies and goods "almost impossible.".

Israel says it must continue airstrikes on Gaza to eliminate Hamas and bring back Israeli hostages.

"The death and pain of any civilian are painful, but we have no choice," Israel Defence Forces Spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told the media on Saturday. He said that we are making every possible effort to deliver as much as possible inside the Gaza Strip. But the reality on the ground is that since October 7, movement in and out of Gaza has been heavily restricted. It should be noted that on October 7, Hamas fighters broke through Israel's heavy security fence, and in their attack, 1,200 people were killed while they took 240 people hostage.

In response, Israel closed its borders with Gaza and launched airstrikes on the territory, greatly blocking the flow of essential goods and aid to Gazans. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says Israel has killed more than 17,700 Gazans, including more than 7,000 children, in its revenge campaign.

Only the Rafah Border is Open

Only the Rafah crossing along the Egyptian border is open, allowing a limited amount of aid to reach Gaza.

This week, Israel agreed to open the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel to Gaza in the next few days to allow inspection of aid trucks. The trucks will then go to Rafah to enter Gaza.

Mr. Skow said he was in no way prepared for the 'fear, chaos, and despair' in Gaza that he and his team encountered during a visit to Gaza this week.

He said he saw 'chaos in warehouses, thousands of desperately hungry people crowding distribution points, empty supermarket shelves, dilapidated bathrooms, and shelters overcrowded'.

Last month, international pressure and a seven-day temporary ceasefire allowed some much-needed aid to be delivered to the Gaza Strip, but the World Food Program (WFP) insists that more supplies are needed to meet the needs of the people of the Gaza Strip. Now another border crossing needs to be opened.

The Condition of Khan Younis is Dire

Khan Younis has been hit by heavy airstrikes in recent days, and the boss of Nasir Hospital there said his team was 'not in control' of the number of dead and wounded arriving at the hospital.

Israel says Hamas leaders are hiding in Khan Yunis, possibly in an underground network of tunnels, and that it is fighting door-to-door and 'in every corner' to destroy the group's military capabilities.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused the United States of complicity in war crimes after vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Saturday.

Thirteen of the 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the resolution calling for a ceasefire, while the United Kingdom did not participate in the voting, and the United States was the only country that voted against the resolution.

Palestinian Authority leader Mr. Abbas said that he "holds Washington responsible for the bloodshed of Palestinian children, women, and the elderly in Gaza by the (Israeli) occupation forces."

US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood defended the veto, saying the resolution called for an 'unsustainable ceasefire' that would 'enable Hamas to repeat the actions it took on October 7. '

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he appreciated America's "correct position" in the Security Council.

A seven-day temporary ceasefire ended just over a week ago. Under the ceasefire, Hamas released 78 hostages in exchange for 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

More than 100 people are still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.