The heads of 11 U.N. agencies and six humanitarian organizations issued a joint plea for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, the protection of civilians, and the swift entry to Gaza of food, water, medicine and fuel. In a statement issued Sunday night, they called Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks in Israel “horrific.” “However, the horrific killings of even more civilians in Gaza is an outrage, as is cutting off 2.2 million Palestinians from food, water, medicine, electricity and fuel,” the heads of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory said. The UN and humanitarian organizations said more than 23,000 injured people need immediate treatment and hospitals are overstretched. “An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship,” the joint statement said. The UN and aid organization leaders said over a hundred attacks against health care operations have been reported and 88 staff members from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, have been reported killed – “the highest number of United Nations fatalities ever recorded in a single conflict.” For in-depth insight and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Genie Godula is joined by Tamara Alrifai, Director of External Relations and Communications at The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
