NEW YORK – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called upon Israel to exercise maximum restraint and stop demolitions and evictions in the Palestinian Territories.
As diplomatic efforts to stop the Israeli barbarism against the Palestinians gathered pace on Thursday, the UN chief described Gaza as “hell on earth” for children and appealed to Israel to allow rapid and unhindered aid access to the Palestinians reeling under the incessant Israeli bombing. “If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza today,” Guterres said.
“The hostilities have caused serious damage to vital civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including roads and electricity lines, contributing to a humanitarian emergency. Crossings into Gaza have 6been closed and power shortages are affecting water supplies,” Guterres added.
The 193-member UN General Assembly met on Thursday to discuss the brutal Israeli action against the Palestinians, especially in Gaza, but no action was expected. However, Guterres said he would make an appeal for humanitarian funding.
“Access for humanitarian goods is paramount. Attacks by militant groups on areas surrounding crossing points are unacceptable,” Guterres said. “At the same time, Israel has a duty to allow and facilitate rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid … into Gaza.” He also urged Hamas, the group fighting against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, to stop firing rockets into Israel.
Hundreds of buildings and homes have been destroyed or damaged by the Israeli bombing, Guterres said, and airstrikes have damaged several hospitals. Some 50,000 people displaced by the Israeli bombing in Gaza were seeking shelter in UN schools, mosques and other places with little access to water, food, hygiene or health services, he added.
On Thursday, Israeli fighter jets continued to pound the Gaza Strip, killing least one Palestinian and wounding several others. At least 230 Palestinians, including 65 children, have been killed in 11 days of violence and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defied the calls for de-escalation.
Last weekend, ruthless Israeli action in Palestine triggered global protests. Hundreds of thousands of people marched on the streets in the United States, United Kingdom and several other European countries. A large number of Pakistanis also took to the streets this week to denounce the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians, especially women and children.
In the US, protests in solidarity with Palestinians stretched from California to New York over the weekend. “Saturday marked the 73rd anniversary of “al-Nakba,” or “the catastrophe”, when more than 700,000 Palestinians were driven from or left their homes during the war that created the state of Israel,” says a CNN report.
While some demonstrators showed up with handmade signs, others marched and chanted through megaphones. However, their message remained the same: to “stand in solidarity with the Palestinian community”.
In California, 23-year-old Adil Abbuthalha grabbed his camera and made his way to downtown Sacramento on Sunday, motivated to march the streets of the state’s capital in solidarity with Palestinians.
“As a Muslim, our prophet (PBUH) teaches us that humanity is like a body — when one part hurts, the rest of the body hurts,” he said. “And now our brothers and sisters are bleeding across the world.”
Meanwhile, 33-year-old Nader Mirfiq, who joined his city’s protest Saturday afternoon, said that he’s disgusted and he wants to “open people’s eyes worldwide on the injustices happening in Gaza and Palestine.”
“This is about being human beings and fighting for what’s right,” he said. “We want justice and we want it now,” Mirfiq rued.
Similarly, Febi Ramadhan, 27, and his wife, Annisa Mawarni, 25, took to the streets of downtown Chicago and posed for a photo with handmade signs.
“I was saddened and enraged by these continuous acts of violence, and I participated in the rally in downtown Chicago to fight together with Palestinians against this pogrom until the liberation of Palestine actually happens,” Ramadhan said.
Hitting new lows: Israel quotes Quran to mock Muslims while raining bombs on Gaza
