The United Nations Security Council expressed its “deep concern” Saturday over last week's aid distribution disaster in Gaza in which over 100 people were killed as they urged improved access to basic necessities in the enclave including food out of concern for the growing problem of hunger.
“They [the UNSC] express grave concern over the estimation from the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) that all 2.2 million people in Gaza would face alarming levels of acute food insecurity,” the 15-member body said.
It spoke out two days after the distribution of food at two locations ended in a stampede and gunfire, with Hamas and the IDF providing conflicting accounts of the incident, that highlighted for the global community the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“The Council Members express deep concern regarding reports stating that over 100 individuals lost their lives with several hundred others sustaining injuries, including people with gunshot wounds,” the UNSC stated.
It noted that the IDF was investigating the incident as it stressed the “need to take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
The IDF has dismissed all claims that it deliberately targeted civilians during the incident.
UNSC under pressure to issue ceasefire resolution
The UNSC spoke out as many of its members want to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire to the Gaza war, a move which the US has blocked as it works for a hostage deal that would include a pause to the war.
The US, has, however, been involved in attempting to help resolve the issue of aid distribution in Gaza, including an airdrop over the enclave on Saturday, given that the IDF’s ongoing military campaign to destroy Hamas has complicated such delivery on the ground.
The statement approved Saturday night was put forward by Algeria, which has separately authored a UNSC resolution for a Gaza ceasefire.
That statement stressed that “all parties to conflicts must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable.”
It urged “all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their survival, consistent with international humanitarian law.”
Toward that end, it reiterated its demand “for parties to the conflict to allow, facilitate, and enable the immediate, rapid, safe, sustained and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip and for the full implementation of resolutions 2712 and 2720.”
The Deputy Russian Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on X that he regretted that the UNSC had “once again failed" to issue "a clear call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.” Polyanskiy wrote that he “strongly believes that the Council is obliged to return to drafting a resolution with a demand for an immediate ceasefire.”
The United Nations General Assembly is slated on Monday to discuss the US blockade of Gaza ceasefire resolutions at the Security Council.