UN: Humanitarian Ceasefire Is Very Important To Gaza

_WHO/Ahmed Zakot/airstrikes in Gaza/PHOTO via news.un.org

JAKARTA - The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) stressed the humanitarian ceasefire was immediately very important to the people in the Gaza Strip.

"Friends at the United Nations are discussing the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," OHCHR spokesman Elizabeth Thorsell said in Geneva, reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Tuesday, October 31.

"I think going forward, of course, we will also hope that this will lead to an end to hostilities, because the only answer is ending violence."

Meanwhile, the White House reiterated its rejection of the humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as it was deemed to only benefit the Palestinian Hamas group.

"We do not believe that a ceasefire is the right answer at this time. We believe that the current ceasefire benefits Hamas," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday (30/10).

"Hamas is the only party who benefits from this when Israel continues to carry out their operations against Hamas leadership," Kirby said.

EU members Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Croatia also voted "no", while Britain declared abstention when UN General Assembly resolutions for the urgent, durable and permanent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza were adopted on Friday (27/10).

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak avoided calling the ceasefire reiterating Britain's position on Israel's right to defend itself. Sunak proposed a certain title' rather than a ceasefire.

Since last weekend Israeli soldiers have expanded air and landstrikes in the Gaza Strip including residences and hospitals that have experienced non-stop airstrikes in retaliation for a sudden attack by the Hamas group on October 7.

More than 9,800 people have died in the Gaza conflict, including 8,525 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis, according to official figures.

Israel's blockade in the Gaza Strip has also cut off supplies of fuel, electricity, and water to Gaza, as well as reduced aid supplies to the point that it is unable to meet the needs of more than 2 million Palestinians there.