Speaking on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged a permanent humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian group, citing that the “humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is getting worse by the day.”
Negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are nearing an extension of the four-day truce in Gaza, which ends on Monday, according to Egyptian security sources. This development comes amid mounting international pressure to extend the agreement that has stopped fighting for seven weeks.
According to a statement from Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, “the dialogue that led to the agreement must continue, resulting in a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel, and the wider region.”
“The United Nations will continue to support these efforts in every possible way,” he added.
According to Dujarric, Guterres reiterated his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages detained by Hamas.
During the course of the truce, the UN has increased the amount of humanitarian aid that it has been able to deliver to Gaza and has also sent supplies to some northern parts of the coastal enclave that have been largely cut off for weeks, according to Dujarric.
However, in comparison to the enormous needs of 1.7 million displaced people, this aid hardly makes a dent. “Every day, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens,” he declared.
