UN Decides to Reduce Presence in Gaza Following Israel's Resumption of Attacks
UN Decides to Reduce Presence in Gaza Following Israel's Resumption of Attacks
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has decided to reduce the organization's presence in Gaza following Israel's resumption of attacks in the region.
UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric made a statement on the matter during the daily press briefing.
Highlighting Israel's horrific attacks last week that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, Dujarric noted that UN personnel were also among the casualties.
Dujarric recalled that Israel has not allowed humanitarian aid access since the beginning of March, stating, "For this reason, the UN Secretary-General has been forced to make the difficult decision to reduce the organization's presence in Gaza. This decision comes at a time when civilian humanitarian aid and protection needs are increasing. We are not abandoning Gaza. We will continue to provide aid to ensure the survival and protection of civilians."
In this context, Dujarric stated that the number of international personnel in Gaza would be reduced. He noted that currently, approximately 100 international UN staff members are in Gaza, and 30 of them will be withdrawn.
Dujarric also mentioned that Israeli authorities intend to continue their "military activities" in Gaza and confirmed that the attack on March 19, which resulted in the deaths of UN personnel, was carried out by Israel.
He emphasized that Guterres strongly condemns Israel's attack and has called for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the incident.
Numerous UN Agencies to Be Affected
Responding to a question about why UN operations have been affected, Dujarric explained that Israel’s attacks have once again displaced people and prevented the entry of humanitarian aid, significantly impacting relief efforts.
He also noted that local personnel have taken on the majority of the work.
Regarding which UN agencies will be affected by the reduction in presence, Dujarric stated that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be among those impacted.