Israel wreaked 'death and destruction' in Gaza: UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Israel's military operation in Gaza had brought "death and destruction" to Palestinians.
This information was given in a report of the international media Al Jazeera on Friday (April 5).
In a speech six months after the start of Israel's war in Gaza, the UN chief said, nothing can justify a collective attack on the Palestinian people.
He said the attack has shattered people's lives in Gaza. Respect for international humanitarian law is undermined. During a visit to the Rafah crossing 10 days ago, I met senior humanitarians who told me clearly that they had never seen the crisis and suffering in Gaza.
The UN chief said aid trucks in Gaza faced long lines. Obstacle after obstacle kept coming.
He said, when the door of aid is closed, the door of starvation is opened. More than half of Gaza's population—more than a million people—face catastrophic hunger. Children in Gaza are dying today for lack of food and water. This is incomprehensible, and completely avoidable.
Since Israel's war in Gaza began on October 7, more than 33,000 people have been killed, according to health authorities. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and aid agencies have warned that the Strip is on the brink of famine.
The UN Secretary-General sincerely hopes that Israel will quickly and effectively increase aid access to the Gaza Strip.
Israel has approved the reopening of the Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing in northern Gaza and the temporary use of the southern Israeli port of Ashdod after US President Joe Biden demanded steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Global outrage over the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave of 23 lakh people rose after an Israeli airstrike on Monday killed seven people working for the US-based food charity World Central Kitchen.
The UN says at least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed in the fighting.
Guterres expressed deep concern over reports that the Israeli military is using artificial intelligence to help identify targets for bombing in Gaza. However, the Israeli military has denied using AI to identify suspected fighters and targets.