The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterresagain called this Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza “in the name of humanity”, in a brief statement issued after the collapse of several hospitals in the Strip.
(Also: Hamas proposes exchanging 70 Israeli hostages, women and children, for a ceasefire)
Guterres said he was “deeply concerned by the horrible situation in several hospitals” and by “the dramatic loss of life.”
(You can read: The Israeli Army announces the seizure of the Hamas Government headquarters in Gaza)
Subsequently, and during the daily press conference of his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, the latter confirmed that Since Monday, all hospitals in the northern half of the Gaza Strip except one (where 500 patients remain) have been out of service..
The reason is the disabling of electrical medical devices (due to lack of fuel) plus the lack of oxygen, food and water caused by bombing and fighting in hospital and health center facilities.
(Read on: Israel investigates ‘several cases’ of sexual violence against women committed by Hamas)
On the other hand, the lack of fuel in Gaza – since Israel refuses to allow the entry of gasoline or diesel – has already caused a water distribution plant in the south of the enclave to be out of service on Monday, leaving 100,000 people out of stock.
Besides, If Israel does not lift its fuel ban, the trucks that now bring in humanitarian aid – 1,096 to date, 150 yesterday alone – will stop entering within 48 hours..
(See also: All hospitals in northern Gaza, except one, are out of service, according to the UN)
Criticism of the Israeli Foreign Minister
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, on an official visit to Geneva to pressure international organizations in favor of the release of the hostages in Gaza, assured today that UN Secretary General António Guterres “does not deserve to be head of the United Nations”.
“He has not promoted any peace process in the region,” added Cohen, accompanied by relatives of hostages kidnapped in Gaza, at a press conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations, shortly before meeting with the director general of the Organization. World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
(Also: Activists paint mural in northern Mexico in protest against attacks by Israel and Hamas)
“Iran, a country that advocates the destruction of Israel, should not be a member of the United Nations, but you can see how Guterres sits with them,” added Cohen, accompanied on this trip by his Health counterpart, Uriel Menachem Buso.
“Guterres, like all free nations, should say loud and clear that Gaza must be liberated from Hamas, that Hamas is even worse than the Islamic State”added the head of Israeli diplomacy.
Cohen met earlier in the Swiss city with the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, with the aim of the organization using its long experience in defending prisoners of war and civilians in conflicts to try to mediate for the release hostages or at least obtain proof that they are still alive.
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