Two UN Officials Reiterate Need for Ceasefire in Gaza, Immediate Release of Hostages

Two UN officials have reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, immediate unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. This came during a session held early Thursday by the UN Security Council (UNSC), at the request of Algeria, dedicated to discussing "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question." In her briefing to the session, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo welcomed the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the US to reach a ceasefire and release the hostages. She stressed the need to exert more efforts to reach an agreement without further delay. She said the UN remains committed to supporting all efforts to achieve this goal. In turn, Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Edem Wosornu affirmed that "the latest developments in Gaza and the West Bank compel us to reaffirm, yet again, the equal value of every human life." "The aim of international humanitarian law is to limit the consequences of war by setting minimum standards of conduct to protect and meet the needs of those who are not fighting the basic requirements of humanity," she added. "Yet, suffering and devastation show that there has been almost no limit to the inhumanity unfolding before our eyes," Wosornu said. She said that "respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law is not optional. Allow me to restate that hostages must be released, civilians must be protected, and their essential needs must be met." "Resolutions passed by this Council promised an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They also called for the release of hostages. Yet, months later, the violence continues, thousands more people have been killed, and hostages remain separated from their families," Wosornu added. "We welcome the local humanitarian pauses, which have enabled the launch of the emergency polio vaccination, again, as Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo highlighted , and recognize the colossal efforts of health actors to carry out the campaign in a very challenging environment," she said. "The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is playing a vital role, including with over 200 teams operating in its clinics and health points," Edem Wosornu said. "Allow me to reiterate our concern from last week - we remain very alarmed by the human toll of intensified Israeli military operations in the West Bank," Director of OCHA's Operations and Advocacy added. Wosornu said: "I recall that any use of force in the West Bank must comply with international human rights law and the standards governing law enforcement." "The brutality of this conflict seems to know no limits," Director of OCHA's Operations and Advocacy said, pointing out that this is evident in the numerous attacks that harm humanitarian workers, limiting the delivery of life-saving aid. Source: Qatar News Agency