Urges Humanitarian Aid Access to Gaza, UN Secretary General: We are Negotiating with Israel, the US and Egypt

Humanitarian aid entered Gaza through Rafah. (Twitter/@PalestinineRCS)

JAKARTA - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that his party needs effective access to humanitarian aid for Gaza, considering the urgent needs of the 2.3 million residents in the Palestinian enclave and the continuing increase in the number of deaths.

Secretary General Guterres described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a "major disaster." He has pushed for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow aid access to Gaza. He also said 92 people working for the UN Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) had been killed.

"It is very important, very important to have access to humanitarian aid to Gaza that matches the dramatic needs facing the community," the UN Secretary General told Reuters, as quoted on November 9.

Guterres further said that the UN had tried to increase the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to him, in the last 18 days only 630 trucks were able to enter through the Rafah border from Egypt. The UN also wants to be able to use the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which is controlled by Israel.

"We are conducting intensive negotiations with Israel, with the US, with Egypt, to ensure that we have effective humanitarian assistance to Gaza," said Guterres.

"Until now, it has been too little, too late," he said.

Regarding what happens in Gaza after the fighting ends, Guterres outlined what he described as a "best case scenario", saying "hopefully a resurgent Palestinian Authority" can take over political control.

Guterres explained that there must be a negotiated transition period with Palestine and Israel. He called it "too early" to talk about the possibility of creating a UN peacekeeping force in the future, saying such a move had not been discussed at the world body.

"Several entities can play a role. The UN can play a role. Some relevant countries in the region can play a role. The United States can play a role," Guterres said, adding this should be the starting point for "serious negotiations for a two-state solution" with a Palestinian state. standing side by side with Israel.

Citing Reuters and Xinhua, at least 10,569 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 7, the Gaza-based Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said the dead included 4,324 children, adding that more than 26,000 people were injured.

He also asked the international community to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli attacks, because most of the victims were children and women.