United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday rejected a new Israeli proposal to control aid deliveries in Gaza.
Guterres said the new proposal risks further controlling and callously limiting aid “down to the last calorie and grain of flour.”
“Let me be clear: We will not participate in any arrangement that does not fully respect humanitarian principles — humanity, impartiality, independence, and neutrality,” he said.
Media Talk Africa reports that no aid has been delivered to the Palestinian enclave of some 2.1 million people since March 2.
Recall that Israel has said it would not allow the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza until Palestinian militant group Hamas releases all remaining hostages.
The Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, COGAT, last week met with UN agencies and international aid groups and said it had proposed a structured monitoring and aid entry mechanism for Gaza.
“The mechanism is designed to support aid organizations, enhance oversight and accountability, and ensure that assistance reaches the civilian population in need, rather than being diverted and stolen by Hamas,” COGAT posted on X on Sunday.
The senior UN aid official for Gaza and the West Bank, Jonathan Whittall, said last week that there was no evidence of aid being diverted.
Israel last month resumed its bombardment of Gaza after a two-month truce and sent troops back into the enclave.
“Gaza is a killing field – and civilians are in an endless death loop. With crossing points into Gaza shut and aid blockaded, security is in shambles and our capacity to deliver has been strangled.
“As the occupying power, Israel has unequivocal obligations under international law — including international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” Guterres said.
