UN Chief Denounces Israeli Regime's Barriers to Aid Deliveries in Gaza

Guterres emphasized the detrimental impact of Israel's approach in obstructing aid operations within Gaza, underscoring the absence of crucial components. "The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza," the UN chief said on Friday.

"An effective aid operation in Gaza requires security staff who can work in safety, logistical capacity, and the resumption of commercial activity. These four elements do not exist," he added.

These remarks come amid an ongoing war launched by the Israeli regime against Palestinian territory on October 7, perpetuating a dire situation that has caused major casualties, with at least 20,057 people killed in total, including 8,000 children and 6,200 women.

In addition to relentless and indiscriminate bombardment, Israeli atrocities have disrupted the flow of basic necessities—water, electricity, medicines, and fuel—into one of the most densely populated regions globally, housing over two million Palestinians.

A recent report by 23 UN and humanitarian agencies highlighted the severe food crisis in Gaza, with the entire population facing scarcity or worse, with 576,600 people teetering at the brink of “catastrophic” starvation.

Further exacerbating the crisis, the UN's World Food Program revealed that a vast majority, 90 percent, of the population in Gaza regularly goes without food for entire days, signaling an acute humanitarian emergency.

Guterres stressed the imperative need for a humanitarian ceasefire, saying "A humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare."

He warned of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, cautioning that a “total collapse of the humanitarian support system would lead to a complete breakdown of public order and increased pressures for mass displacement into Egypt.”