UN Warns Rising Conflict in Middle East Increases Humanitarian Needs

JAKARTA - The head of United Nations aid on Wednesday warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East creates an urgent need for humanitarian assistance and puts increasing pressure on an already overwhelmed aid system.

"Violence across the region is spreading across the border and deepening the humanitarian crisis," UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher told reporters in Geneva.

"We are in a time of great danger throughout the Middle East today," he said, launching Anadolu (12/3).

"We are seeing these crises escalate rapidly and collide more and more often in dangerous ways," he continued.

Fletcher further said that the consequences include displacement, economic shocks, and increased humanitarian needs, while aid workers themselves are increasingly under attack.

"The developments of the last two weeks further confirm that we live in a time of brutality, impunity, and indifference, a rule-based framework intended to curb the worst excesses of war is cracking," he said.

"Human intelligence is being used to find ever more vicious ways to kill on a massive scale while civilians are subjected to ever more heinous violence," Fletcher said.

Fletcher stressed that humanitarian workers are "increasingly" under attack, noting: "Just today, three of my colleagues in humanitarian work in Sudan, in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and in Lebanon, unfortunately, have been killed."

He also urged the UN Security Council to prioritize the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers and support aid agencies so that they can reach people in need.

"Civilians, all civilians, wherever they are in the area, must be protected," Fletcher said.

The UN aid chief also called for renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.

"We need a calmer head to win. The peace effort is difficult, but it is always better, and it takes more courage than any other alternative," he said.

On this occasion, Fletcher also highlighted the global humanitarian plan launched late last year, which seeks funds of 23 billion US dollars to help 87 million people who are in dire need of life-saving support.

So far, $5 billion has been received and total pledges have reached $8.7 billion, leaving a shortfall of more than $14 billion, he said.

"We still need more than 14 billion US dollars now to realize this plan, and this is happening at a time when conflicts in the Middle East cost one billion dollars a day," he said. "Listen to that number and feel the shame I feel because we spend one billion dollars a day on this war. Even just 1 billion US dollars is enough to save millions of lives," said Fletcher.

He concluded by urging governments and public donors to accelerate funding, and warning: "Without additional support, millions of people will die."