U.N. chief says it’s time to ‘truly flood’ Gaza with aid and calls starvation there an outrage
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres declared it was time to “truly flood Gaza with lifesaving aid,” calling the starvation inside the enclave a “moral outrage.” He urged an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stood near a long line of waiting trucks Saturday and declared it was time to “truly flood Gaza with lifesaving aid,” calling the starvation inside the enclave a “moral outrage.” He urged an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Guterres spoke on the Egyptian side of the border not far from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israel plans to launch a ground assault despite widespread warnings of a potential catastrophe. More than half of Gaza’s population has taken refuge there.
“Any further onslaught will make things even worse — worse for Palestinian civilians, worse for hostages and worse for all people in the region,” Guterres said.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres leaves the chamber after attending a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on maintenance of international peace and security Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, Monday, March 18, 2024, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / APHe spoke a day after the U.N. Security Council failed to reach consensus on the wording of a U.S.-sponsored resolution supporting “an immediate and sustained cease-fire.”
Guterres repeatedly noted the difficulties of getting aid into Gaza, for which international aid agencies have largely blamed Israel.
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