Protection 'urgently' needed for civilian population in Gaza: UN

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A UN official on Friday called for urgent protection of civilian population in the Gaza Strip, including the humanitarian workers.

"Protection is urgently needed for the civilian population in Gaza, but also for the humanitarian operations. Humanitarian staff and assets must be protected from all forms of violent attacks," Muhannad Hadi, Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), told the Security Council meeting.

Almost ten months into the crisis, Hadi said a safe enabling environment for the provision of humanitarian assistance "still does not exist inside Gaza."

"Today the UN is not in a position to provide the necessary assistance to the people in Gaza, let alone to scale up, unless specific factors are in place," he said.

He stressed that it is the responsibility of warring parties to protect humanitarian actors in the field.

"Duty of care to all humanitarian staff is one of our highest concerns. Today, the risks inside Gaza are unacceptable," Hadi added.

Turning to the human tragedy in Gaza, Hadi said thousands of children have sustained "horrific injuries" such as third-degree burns, amputated limbs, and profound mental trauma.

Citing children in shelters crying all night, Hadi said "suicidal thoughts" are not uncommon as parents are unable to protect their children from hunger, trauma.

"Six hundred and twenty-five thousand children have been deprived of an entire schoolyear of education. Needless to say that a child without education is a child without future," he said.

Stressing that the human impact of the conflict "cannot be overstated," Hadi called for a cease-fire in the besieged enclave, and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

Nearly 39,200 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 90,400 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.