The United Nations’ chief says Hamas’ “reprehensible assault” on Israel “can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” Secretary-General António Guterres called for protection of civilians and the sparing of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and U.N. premises, from the bombardment. Speaking at a summit Egypt is hosting on the Israel-Gaza war, Guterres pointed to the “the wider context” of war, saying that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability.”
The Associated Press has the story:
UN chief: Hamas attack doesn’t justify ‘collective punishment of Palestinians’
Newslooks- CAIRO
Secretary-General António Guterres called for protection of civilians and the sparing of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and U.N. premises, from the bombardment.
Speaking at a summit Egypt is hosting on the Israel-Gaza war, Guterres pointed to the “the wider context” of war, saying that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability.”
“Israelis must see their legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent state realized,” he said.
He said the U.N. is working around the clock with all parties to ensure a sustainable delivery of aid to Gaza, following the crossing of a first 20-truck convoy on Saturday.
“But the people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more — a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed,” he said.
UNICEF SAYS INITIAL AID CONVOY WILL SAVE LIVES BUT IS INADEQUATE
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — A two-truck U.N. convoy that entered Gaza from Egypt is carrying over 44,000 bottles of drinking water from the U.N. children’s agency – a day’s supply for 22,000 people, according to UNICEF.
“This first, limited water will save lives, but the needs are immediate and immense,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.
The agency said it has supplies for up to 250,000 people at the Rafah crossing that can be brought into Gaza in a matter of hours.
EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT SAYS FORCING PALESTINIANS INTO EGYPT ISN’T THE ANSWER
CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has reiterated his government’s rejection of forcing Palestinians in Gaza to flee into his country’s Sinai Peninsula.
He said that the Palestinian cause won’t be settled through forcing the Palestinians to leave their homes, and “end the statehood dream.”
“The whole Egyptian people won’t accept the liquidation of the Palestinian cause … and will never happen on the expanse of Egypt,” el-Sissi said.
Speaking at a summit his government is hosting on the war Saturday, the Egyptian leader set out a roadmap to end the ongoing war which included ensuring the flow of aid to Gaza, negotiating a cease-fire, and embarking on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians to establish a Palestinian state based on the borders before the 1967 Mideast war.
“We are facing an unprecedented crisis that requires full attention to avert expanding the conflict,” he said.
TURKISH MINISTER WARNS OF INJUSTICE TOWARD PALESTINIANS
CAIRO — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that international support for Israel has created a growing injustice against the Palestinian people.
“Israel exploits the solidarity of some countries as an open check for unleashing blind rage on Palestinians, a rage that even targets mosques and hospitals,” he told a summit in Cairo.
“Unconditional military aid to Israel or coercing regional countries to unrealistic and unsustainable plans serves nothing but deepening occupation, because these policies omit, neglect and ignore a vital part of the equation: the Palestinians.”
He added: “By dehumanizing Palestinian lives, Israel aims to normalize Palestinian suffering. We say: never. Never for Palestinians, never for anybody else.”
