Cairo: United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres has said here that delivering necessary aid to famine-threatened Gaza “Requires Israel removing remaining obstacles and chokepoints to relief”, AFP reported.

Following visit to gates of besieged Palestinian territory at Rafah border crossing, Guterres repeated his call for an “Immediate humanitarian ceasefire” to alleviate “Plight of Palestinian children, women and men struggling to survive nightmare in Gaza”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised Guterres’s keenness to adhere to principles of international and humanitarian law.

He stressed necessity for UN Security Council to fulfil its responsibilities and emphasised danger of some countries having cut funding to UNRWA, calling it “Collective punishment”, spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said on Facebook.

UN Chief emphasised Egypt’s efforts to push towards ceasefire in Gaza, to keep Rafah crossing open over past months and to lead process of delivering aid to enclave despite severe difficulties.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said she is visiting Middle East because not enough help is getting into Gaza, Al Jazeera reported. “Airdrops or sea bridges are not sustainable solution,” Baerbock said, adding that military action has its limits in international humanitarian law.

Baerbock added that only an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which leads to permanent cessation of hostilities, would end suffering on all sides.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have besieged two more Gaza hospitals, pinning down medical teams under heavy gunfire, Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Palestinian Red Crescent said one of its staff was killed when Israeli tanks suddenly pushed back into areas around Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in southern city of Khan Younis, amid heavy bombardment and gunfire.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 25 2024

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