UN Chief Calls for Ceasefire in Gaza to Honor Spirit of Ramadan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has again called for a ceasefire in Gaza as the world begins the holy month of Ramadan. Israel's offensive in the enclave has entered its sixth month and has not stopped even though Ramadan began on Monday, March 11, 2024, for Palestinian Muslims.

"Even though Ramadan has begun, the killing, bombing, and bloodshed continue in Gaza," Guterres told reporters on Monday, as quoted from the UN website.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli attacks have killed at least 31,045 people and injured more than 72,654 others in Gaza since October 7, 2023. 

"My strongest appeal today is to honor the spirit of Ramadan by silencing the guns and removing all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required," he said.

Apart from bombing the whole of Gaza, Israel has also imposed a strict blockade that makes it difficult for humanitarian aid to enter. Countries have recently had to send aid by air by dropping parachutes.

Humanitarian aid supplies that are channeled to Gaza by land must go through one of two entry points, namely Kerem Shalom and Rafah. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported last month that aid trucks were struggling to enter the enclave due to inconsistent openings of the entry points. 

According to UNRWA, an average of 168 aid trucks per day entered Gaza during the first nine days of March 2024. That number is still far below the target of 500 trucks per day to meet the basic needs of residents. 

Access through both crossings has become increasingly difficult due to the killing of several Palestinian policemen in an Israeli airstrike near the crossings in early February. UNRWA also said it had been almost six weeks since it had managed to deliver aid to northern Gaza. people are very anxious.

"There should be more humanitarian assistance coming in via road including through UNRWA because we have the largest footprint on the ground and we know how to do this," spokesperson Juliette Touma said in an interview with Channel 4.

 Meanwhile, Guterres in his message also called for the immediate release of all hostages still held by the Palestinian group Hamas. "We must act to avoid more preventable deaths," he said.

NABIILA AZZAHRA | ANADOLU

Editor’s Choice: Jokowi Says Indonesia Will Dispatch Humanitarian Aid to Gaza via Air

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News