UN 'determined' to continue life-saving aid in Gaza despite escalating security risks

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN on Tuesday highlighted the extreme risks faced by UN staff and humanitarian workers in Gaza, pledging commitment to continuing its life-saving work.

"The United Nations is determined to stay in Gaza to deliver life-saving aid for and with Palestinian civilians," Gilles Michaud, the UN under-secretary-general for safety and security, said in a statement.

Emphasizing the grave risks that UN staff and aid workers are currently enduring in Gaza, Michaud said: "Humanitarians have been in the crosshairs throughout this crisis, which is by far the deadliest on record for the UN."

He expressed concern over recent mass evacuation orders by Israel, including an incident over the weekend where the Israeli army provided just a few hours’ notice for more than 200 UN personnel to evacuate their offices and living quarters in Deir Al Balah, a key humanitarian hub.

"Like most Palestinians in Gaza, we are running out of safe spaces for our own staff," he added.

Michaud said that security constraints due to the conflict are severely hampering the UN's ability to deliver aid, especially with a crucial polio vaccination campaign set to begin next week.

Noting that the Israeli army's "actions this weekend compound existing security threats and seriously impact the pace at which we can deliver, safely," Michaud stated that the "constraints are beyond our control."

He called on all parties involved in the conflict to adhere to international humanitarian law and to honor their commitments under the UN Charter to protect the safety and security of UN personnel and premises.

"The women and men who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid need a safe and consistent place from which to work," Michaud said, emphasizing the need for all parties to respect the laws that safeguard humanitarian operations in conflict zones.