Gaza going through 'epic humanitarian catastrophe': UN chief

Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, called the situation in the Gaza Strip a “epic humanitarian catastrophe” on Wednesday and urged everyone to pay attention.

Since China is the president of the 15-member council for November, Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, chaired the meeting of the U.N. Security Council. “Intense negotiations are taking place to prolong the truce – which we strongly welcome – but we believe we need a true humanitarian ceasefire,” the speaker said.

Last-minute negotiations were continuing between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas on Wednesday to extend a truce in Gaza.

The council was briefed by Guterres on the execution of a resolution that was passed earlier this month, which demanded humanitarian ceasefires to permit assistance deliveries and the liberation of all Hamas hostages.

During the truce, the UN has increased the amount of humanitarian aid being delivered to Gaza, a coastal enclave home to 2.3 million people. However, according to Guterres, the aid “remains completely inadequate to meet the huge needs.”

“The people of Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world,” he stated. “We must not look away.”

Later on Wednesday, a number of Arab foreign ministers were scheduled to speak to the council in New York.

The Arab ministers, according to Israel’s U.N. ambassador Gilad Erdan, are backing “a terror organisation that aims to annihilate Israel.”

“Anyone who backs a ceasefire is really endorsing Hamas’ ongoing murderous campaign in Gaza. Erdan addressed the Security Council, saying, “Hamas is a genocidal terror organization—they don’t hide it—and not a reliable partner for peace.”

Israel claims that during a surprise attack on October 7, Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 individuals and kidnapped roughly 240 more. With a concentration on Gaza, Israel has targeted Hamas with airstrikes, imposed a siege, and launched a ground offensive.

“The ceasefire has to turn from a truce into an ongoing one. The Security Council was informed by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki that “the massacres cannot be allowed to resume.”

(With agency inputs)