UN chief says nothing justifies collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday that “nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people” in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu agency reported.

“Nothing justifies the hateful act of Hamas on October 7, and nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinians” carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip, the UN chief told a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, adding that “more than half of the population, over a million people, are facing catastrophic hunger.”

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“We must act now before it is too late,” he urged, adding: “I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts.”

He added that efforts must continue to stop the killing, reach an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and secure the unconditional release of prisoners of war.

According to a recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative, famine in Gaza “is imminent in the northern governorates and projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024,” a period the enclave has since entered.

The report underlined the urgent need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and sustained access for the provision of essential supplies and services.

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