Tag Archives: welcomes

Gaza: UN relief chief welcomes growing support for aid teams to resume vital work

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“We value the support of more and more Member States who are joining our call: Let us work,” Mr. Fletcher said, his comments coinciding with the announcement that the US and Israeli-backed aid hub in southern Gaza operating independently of the UN had been suspended on Wednesday.

“The world is watching, day after day, horrifying scenes of Palestinians being shot, wounded or killed in Gaza while simply trying to eat,” Mr. Fletcher said.

New Security Council resolution

The development comes ahead of a Security Council meeting on Gaza on Wednesday seeking agreement on a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages taken during Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023.

The resolution push is the result of lobbying by the body’s 10 non-permanent Members. It remains to be seen if it will garner the support of the US and the four other countries that hold just five permanent seats on the 15-Member body: China, France, the UK and Russia. Any one of them could veto it.

Meanwhile in Gaza, local authorities on Wednesday claimed that at least 12 people including children had been killed in an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in the southern city of Khan Younis.

In his appeal, Mr. Fletcher noted that medical teams had confirmed treating “hundreds of trauma cases” in recent days after footage showed chaotic scenes of Palestinians rushing to take food from the US and Israeli-run aid hubs in southern Gaza.

“Yesterday alone, dozens were declared dead at hospitals after Israeli forces said they had opened fire,” Mr. Fletcher continued.

He insisted: “Open the crossings – all of them. Let in lifesaving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in. Ensure our convoys aren’t held up by delays and denials.”

UN relief chief welcomes limited Gaza aid resumption – but it’s a ‘drop in the ocean’

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Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Monday that nine UN trucks were cleared to enter the southern Kerem Shalom crossing earlier in the day.

“But it is a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed…We have been reassured that our work will be facilitated through existing, proven mechanisms. I am grateful for that reassurance, and Israel’s agreement to humanitarian notification measures that reduce the immense security threats of the operation.”

Alarm over Israeli bombardment: UN chief

The UN Secretary-General on Monday expressed his alarm over the intensifying air strikes and ground operations in Gaza “which have resulted in the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in recent days, including many women and children, and, of course, large-scale evacuation orders.”

António Guterres reiterated his call for the rapid, safe, and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to civilians, in order to avert famine, alleviate widespread suffering, and prevent further loss of life.

Briefing reporters on Monday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Mr. Guterres “welcomes the ongoing efforts by the mediators to reach a deal in Gaza. He has repeatedly warned that the continued violence and the destruction will only compound civilian suffering and heighten the risk of a broader regional conflict.”

He added that the Secretary-General “firmly rejects any forced displacement of the Palestinian population.”

Minimise risk of aid theft

Relief chief Fletcher said in his statement that he was determined to ensure UN aid reaches those in greatest need and make sure that any risk of theft by Hamas or other militants battling Israeli forces in the Strip amid a new offensive, would be minimised.

He said the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, had realistic expectations: “Given ongoing bombardment and acute hunger levels, the risks of looting and insecurity are significant.”

UN aid workers are committed to doing their jobs, “even against these odds,” he said, thanking humanitarian colleagues for their courage and determination.

Practical plan

“The limited quantities of aid now being allowed into Gaza are of course no substitute for unimpeded access to civilians in such dire need,” Mr. Fletcher continued.

“The UN has a clear, principled and practical plan to save lives at scale, as I set out last week.”

He called on Israeli authorities to:

  • Open at least two crossings into Gaza, in the north and south
  • Simplify and expedite procedures together with removing quotas limiting aid
  • Lift access impediments and cease military operations when and where aid is being delivered
  • Allow UN teams to cover the whole range of needs – food, water, hygiene, shelter, health, fuel and gas for cooking

Ready to respond

Mr. Fletcher said to reduce looting, there must be a regular flow of aid, and humanitarians must be permitted to use multiple routes.

“We are ready and determined to scale up our life-saving operation Gaza and respond to the needs of people, wherever they are,” he stressed – calling again for the protection of civilians, a resumption of the ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

He concluded saying the operation would be tough – “but the humanitarian community will take any opening we have.”

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Guterres welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire | UN News

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The UN chief’s statement, released on Saturday, came shortly after news broke of a decision by the two countries to de-escalate a situation that has caused widespread alarm in recent days.

Tensions had been steadily raising, after a group of gunmen fired on tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, killing at least 26 and injuring scores more. India and Pakistan both administer parts of the Himalayan region but claim the territory in its entirety, and it has been a scene of unrest for decades.

In the past week, fears grew of an outright military confrontation, and the UN expressed deep concern over deteriorating relations between the two South Asian neighbours, with Mr. Guterres telling journalists that tensions were higher than they had been in years, and reiterating calls for maximum restraint.

There were reports of jubilation in both India and Pakistan at news of the ceasefire, which is believed to be the result of talks mediated by the US, and was announced by representatives of all three countries on social media platforms. However, there have since been reports of skirmishes, including drone attacks.

The Secretary-General welcomed the ceasefire agreement as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions, and said that he hopes the agreement will “contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries.”

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Guterres welcomes election of Pope Leo ‘at a time of great global challenges’

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His Holiness Pope Leo XIV – born Robert Francis Prevost – is the first person from the United States to lead the Catholic Church, although he also holds Peruvian citizenship after working in the Latin American country for many years.

He was selected by cardinals voting at the Vatican and later greeted thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square with a message of peace.

Strong voices needed

Mr. Guterres extended heartfelt congratulations to the new pontiff and Roman Catholics everywhere. 

 “The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges,” he said.

 “Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion.”

Building on the legacy

 The Secretary-General said he looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the UN and the Holy See – nurtured most recently by the late Pope Francis – to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.

 “It is rooted in the first words of Pope Leo,” he noted.  “Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.”

© FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (fourth from right) greets an official in front of St. Peter’s Basilica at the funeral of Pope Francis.

Pope Leo, 69, was born and grew up in the midwestern city of Chicago and spent years working as a missionary in Peru, before becoming a bishop and then rising to head the international Order of St. Augustine.

He became a cardinal in 2023 and went on to run the Vatican office that selects and manages Catholic bishops worldwide. 

He succeeds Pope Francis – the first Pope from Latin America – who died in April after serving for 12 years.

Following his death, the UN Secretary-General recalled that “Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice” who “leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all — especially those left on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict.” 

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