Heads of UN agencies reject unilateral proposals to create ‘safe zones’ in Gaza

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The leaders of a number of UN agencies and humanitarian organizations said Thursday that they will not take part in any "safe zones" in Gaza declared by Israel, which is only one side in the conflict.

"As humanitarian leaders, our position is clear: We will not participate in the establishment of any 'safe zone' in Gaza that is set up without the agreement of all the parties, and unless fundamental conditions are in place to ensure safety and other essential needs are met and a mechanism is in place to supervise its implementation," the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the highest-level humanitarian coordination forum of the UN system, said in a statement.

Under the current circumstances, any proposals to unilaterally establish "safe zones" are likely to harm civilians, including potentially causing significant casualties, and should be rejected, the committee said.

"Without the right conditions, concentrating civilians in such zones in the context of active hostilities can raise the risk of attack and additional harm," it said. "No 'safe zone' is truly safe when it is declared unilaterally or enforced by the presence of armed forces."

Discussions about safe zones should not distract from the primary obligation of the parties to take constant care in sparing civilians, regardless of their location, and meeting their essential needs, it said, noting that this includes providing rapid, secure and unimpeded humanitarian access to all civilians in need.

"None of the humanitarian organizations we represent has been involved in preparing for the arrival of displaced people in any prospective 'safe zone' – or 'humanitarian zone' – in Gaza," it added.

To establish such zones, the committee said an agreement by the parties to refrain from hostilities in and around the zone, the provision of the essentials for survival and the free movement for displaced people are required.

Failure to meet these basic conditions "may constitute a breach of international humanitarian and human rights law," it warned.

The humanitarian leaders also renewed their call for a humanitarian cease-fire to ease the suffering and to help facilitate humanitarian operations as well as the release of all hostages.

At least 11,500 Palestinians have been killed, including over 7,800 women and children, and more than 29,200 others have been injured since Israeli forces began bombarding Gaza on Oct. 7 after the Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise cross-border attack on Israel, according to the latest figures from Palestinian authorities.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel's relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.

Besides the large number of casualties and massive displacements, basic supplies are running low for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents due to the Israeli siege.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.