New York - Saba:
Sigrid Kaag, the Temporary Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, affirmed that she "will not participate in any mechanism for delivering humanitarian aid if it violates the fundamental principles of humanitarian action, foremost neutrality and independence."
She stressed that "the situation in Gaza requires urgent international action that goes beyond formal statements and appeals."
Kaag called for "an immediate halt to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip."
During a UN Security Council session on Wednesday, Kaag warned that "civilians in Gaza are facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, with widespread destruction of infrastructure and continuous targeting of civilian life."
She stated, "The people of Gaza have lost hope in life, and farewells in the Strip are now spoken on the brink of death, not tomorrow." She added, "Palestinians there deserve more than mere survival—they deserve a future filled with dignity and hope."
Kaag warned that humanitarian aid is insufficient to meet the minimum needs of over two million people facing the specter of famine, describing the situation as "more like a lifeboat after the sinking of an entire ship."
In the same context, Kaag expressed deep concern over escalating tensions in the occupied West Bank, pointing to accelerated settlement expansion, land seizures, and increasing settler violence, leading to a "de facto annexation."
She emphasized, "The number of victims is no longer just statistics. These were people with names, dreams, and aspirations, whose lives were shattered under bombardment and deprivation."
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