Number of casualties in Gaza 'unacceptable': UN

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A UN spokesman on Wednesday voiced concern over the surging death toll in the Gaza Strip as fighting between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas continued for the 75th day.

"The number has been unacceptable and huge and sheer and whatever adjective you want to use for quite some time," Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

"Again, we want to see a humanitarian cease-fire. We want to see the guns fall silent as we can reach the people of Gaza who need the most help right now," he said.

Dujarric, who is the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also stressed the importance of re-establishing a political path to a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

On the delayed UN Security Council vote that was to take place on a resolution urging the suspension of hostilities in Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, he said deliberations in the 15-member council continued.

"We'll see what comes out of their discussions not for us to interfere with those discussions which, I understand, are fairly intense".

"The secretary-general's own position is unchanged. He's been calling for humanitarian cease-fire, and also he's been calling for the creation of the conditions on the ground to be conducive for broader delivery of humanitarian aid," he added.

When Dujarric asked whether the UN is a "trustworthy" body to monitor aid flowing into Gaza, he said: "I will not have us inserted into the discussions that are going on right now in the council because we know how delicate they are."

"What I can tell you is that all over the world, the UN does its humanitarian work based on principles of impartiality, and that happens in every corner of the world and we will continue to do it in that manner," he added.

The Security Council delayed the vote for the third day in a row following the briefing.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, killing over 20,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 52,586 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while more than 130 hostages remain in captivity.