Ten envoys from the United Nations Security Council were invited to visit the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Monday, just days after the UN Secretary-General warned that thousands of people in the besieged Palestinian enclave are “just hungry.”
The UAE Trip to Rafah
The United Arab Emirates organized the trip to Rafah – where limited humanitarian aid and fuel were delivered to Gaza – while the 15-member Security Council negotiates a draft resolution proposed by the UAE that calls for the warring parties to “allow all land, sea, and air routes to and throughout” Gaza for aid.
The Purpose of the Visit
The UAE Ambassador to the UN, Lana Nusseibeh, stated that the purpose of the visit is to “understand directly what is needed in terms of expanding humanitarian operations that meet the needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza.” She noted that it is not an official visit of the Security Council.
United States’ Non-participation
The United States did not send a representative on this trip, following its rejection last week of a proposed Security Council demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza.
The U.S. Position
Net Evans, spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN, said, “The United States is clearly aware of the very difficult situation in Rafah and is working around the clock to try to improve the situation on the ground.” He added that U.S. diplomacy “is still yielding results” and that Washington “is clear that there is a need for more assistance and we continue to support a humanitarian pause in which hostages can be released and aid increased.”
Non-participation of France and Gabon
France and Gabon also did not send representatives on the trip to Rafah. The French Mission to the UN did not respond to a request for comment.
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly will hold a meeting regarding Gaza on Tuesday at the request of Arab states and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The 193-member body is expected to vote on a draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, according to diplomats.
The Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
Guterres told the Security Council on Friday, “Half of the population in the north and more than a third of those displaced in the south are simply hungry.” The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that 100 trucks carrying relief supplies entered Gaza from Egypt on Sunday, the same number as the day before. However, it pointed out that this number is “far below” the daily average of 500 trucks, including fuel, that used to enter every business day before October 7.
Call for Opening the Kerem Shalom Crossing
The UN is seeking to open the Kerem Shalom crossing, controlled by Israel. Israel has agreed to allow its use for inspections, but not for entry into Gaza. Trucks will be inspected there before entering Gaza from Rafah, which is about 3 kilometers (2 miles) away.
Invitation to New Member States
The UAE also invited the new member states of the Security Council – Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and South Korea – who will begin their two-year term on January 1, to join the trip. Algeria did not send an envoy.
Leave a Reply