UNICEF, UN Women and other agencies express “shock and horror” at the conflict’s growing death toll.
Leaders of 18 United Nations agencies and non-profit organizations (NGOs) have called for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, expressing “shock and horror” at the rising death toll of the conflict.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. It’s been 30 days. Enough is enough,” UN and NGO leaders said in a rare joint statement on Sunday. “This has to stop now.”
UN and NGO leaders, including the heads of UNICEF, UN Women, the World Food Program, the World Health Organization and Save the Children, have called the killings of Israelis and Palestinians over the past month.
At least 9,770 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israeli bombardments on Gaza, according to authorities in the Hamas-ruled enclave.
More than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, according to Israeli authorities.
“For nearly a month, the world has watched the evolving situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, shocked and horrified by the growing number of lives lost and torn apart,” the statement said.
UN and NGO leaders called on all parties to respect their “obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law”, including by protecting civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools and allowing aid to Gaza.
It is “unacceptable” that the people of Gaza are being denied essential goods and services and are being “bombarded in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship,” the statement said.
The group also condemned the killing of dozens of aid workers.
“More than 100 attacks on health care have been reported,” they said.
“Scores of aid workers have been killed since October 7, including 88 UNRWA colleagues – the highest number of UN casualties ever recorded in a single conflict. »