The heads of nearly 20 U.N. agencies and international humanitarian groups are speaking out against the creation of a possible “safe zone” in Gaza unless all sides agree and the right conditions for one are established. The call comes as the Israeli army has presented an area in southern Gaza called Muwasi, which is only a couple of square kilometers in size, as a safe zone. It would not be targeted by airstrikes and could be a destination for humanitarian aid.
Quick Read
- Nearly 20 U.N. agencies and international humanitarian groups have spoken out against the creation of a unilateral “safe zone” in Gaza.
- The Israeli army proposed Muwasi in southern Gaza as a safe zone, free from airstrikes and a hub for humanitarian aid.
- U.N. agencies and groups like Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and Care International warned that such unilateral safe zones could lead to civilian harm, including significant loss of life.
- Concerns were raised about fitting Gaza’s 2 million population into the small proposed area, and the risk of attack in such concentrated zones.
- The statement highlighted the existing mass displacement of approximately 1.6 million people in Gaza.
- Abdulmajeed Melhem, the general manager of Palestine Telecommunications Company (Paltel), appealed to international bodies to persuade Israel to allow fuel into Gaza to restore communication services.
- Paltel reported a complete shutdown of communication services due to fuel shortages, impacting landlines, mobile phones, and internet connections.
- The Israeli government recently permitted the entry of 23,000 liters of fuel for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, but only for vehicles delivering aid.
The Associated Press has the story:
UN agencies, Humanitarian groups object to Gaza ‘Safe Zone’ unless all sides agree
Newslooks- GENEVA —(AP)
The heads of nearly 20 U.N. agencies and international humanitarian groups are speaking out against the creation of a possible “safe zone” in Gaza unless all sides agree and the right conditions for one are established.
The call comes as the Israeli army has presented an area in southern Gaza called Muwasi, which is only a couple of square kilometers in size, as a safe zone. It would not be targeted by airstrikes and could be a destination for humanitarian aid.
“Under the prevalent conditions, proposals to unilaterally create “safe zones” in Gaza risk creating harm for civilians, including large-scale loss of life, and must be rejected,” said the heads of the U.N. health, migration, refugee, humanitarian aid and children’s agencies, and groups including Mercy Corps, Save the Children and Care International.
The army has not provided details about how some 2 million people in Gaza would fit into such a small area, and agencies have pushed back against the idea. Meanwhile, army leaflets dropped in southern Gaza have urged people to move.
“Without the right conditions, concentrating civilians in such zones in the context of active hostilities can raise the risk of attack and additional harm,” the signatories said. “No ‘safe zone’ is truly safe when it is declared unilaterally or enforced by the presence of armed forces.”
The 18 organizations noted the “mass displacement” already of some 1.6 million people in Gaza.
WORLD MUST CONVINCE ISRAEL TO LET FUEL INTO GAZA, TELECOM CHIEF SAYS
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The general manager of Palestine Telecommunications Company, Paltel, said he has urged international bodies to persuade Israel to allow fuel to enter Gaza in order to restore phone and internet to the besieged enclave.
“We asked all international bodies to intervene with Israel in order to allow the entry of fuel,” Abdulmajeed Melhem told The Associated Press.
Earlier Thursday, Paltel announced that all communication services — landlines, mobile phones and internet connections — were down due to a lack of fuel.
“Since the outbreak of the war, there has been no electricity, therefore we have relied on alternative sources to operate the generators,” Melhem said. “If they (Israel) allow the entry of fuel, this problem will be solved.”
Until this week, Israel had completely prohibited fuel from going in to Gaza, fearing it could be commandeered by Hamas. But on Wednesday the Israeli government allowed the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees to receive 23,000 litres (6,076 gallons) of fuel, but under the restriction that it be used only for vehicles delivering aid.
