One year after the Zionist aggression on Gaza – now extending to Lebanon – senior UN officials warned the Security Council that efforts to dismantle the United Nations’ presence in Gaza and its surrounds would be disastrous for the people in need there, as speakers urged the Council to act.
Lisa Doughten, Director of the Finance and Partnerships Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that ongoing legislation to stop UNRWA’s activities would be disastrous for the provision of aid and essential services to millions of Palestinians. “If approved, such [Israeli] legislation would be diametrically opposed to the UN Charter and in violation of “Israel”’s obligations under international law,” she stressed. Detailing the reality on the ground in Gaza, she reported : “Unfortunately, much of what I am about to say mirrors what we reported a month ago — widespread suffering persists while the humanitarian situation worsens.”
Spotlighting the consequences for women and children, she relayed UNRWA’s reports that 10 children are losing one or both of their legs each day in the Strip. “Gaza is home to the largest cohort of child amputees in modern history,” she said, also noting that women there are three times more likely to miscarry or die from childbirth. “We cannot claim ignorance to what is happening — nor can we afford to look away,” she emphasized. She therefore repeated the call for the Council and Member States to act, adding : “These atrocities must end.”
