(MENAFN- Khaama Press)
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe/UN Secretary-General at the Cairo Summit For Peace.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urgently appealed for unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza's non-combatant population. He stressed the immediate, unconditional release of Israeli hostages on Twitter, highlighting the need for swift action to prevent violence from escalating.
“Immediate, unrestricted & sustained humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. Immediate & unconditional release of all hostages. Immediate & dedicated efforts to prevent the spread of violence, increasing the risk of spillover,” Guterres said.
Mr. Guterres, speaking at a peace conference in Cairo on Saturday, said,“Gaza needs more; widespread delivery of aid is essential.”
While the United Nations and other human rights organizations have called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the Israeli military announced on Saturday that it would intensify its attacks on Gaza as part of the next phase of“Operation Iron Swords.”
Early on Saturday, Herzli Halavi, the Chief of the Israeli Army Staff, visited troops stationed on the front lines, stating,“We are entering Gaza for a specific operational goal, destroying the infrastructure of Hamas and terrorists, and we are doing this professionally.”
At the same time, Osama Hamdan, one of the leaders of Hamas, declared that Hamas is not willing to negotiate for the release of Israeli hostages as long as Israeli attacks on Gaza continue. He stated that Hamas's apparent position is a prisoner exchange with Israel, but no negotiations will occur as long as Israel continues its“aggression.”
Meanwhile, 20 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza on Saturday through the Rafah crossing. The United Nations states that a minimum of 100 trucks per day is needed to address the needs of Gaza's 2.4 million inhabitants.
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