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The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on Friday sharply criticised the international community for its apparent inaction regarding the starvation crisis in the Gaza Strip, calling it a “moral crisis that challenges the global conscience.”
Speaking via videolink to Amnesty International’s global assembly, Guterres expressed profound dismay. “I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community—the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity,” he stated.
He emphasised that this is more than just a humanitarian crisis; it’s a fundamental test of global morality.
Gaza’s Dire Situation and Aid Challenges
Aid organisations have repeatedly warned of a dramatic rise in malnourished children within war-torn Gaza, which has been under an Israeli aid blockade since March, a measure partially eased two months later.
The limited aid flow since then has been managed by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), replacing the previous UN-led distribution system.
However, both aid groups and the United Nations have refused to collaborate with the GHF, alleging it supports Israeli military objectives.
Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that initiated the conflict but stressed that “nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since.”
He described the scale of suffering as unprecedented, citing heartbreaking accounts of children longing for heaven for food and UN humanitarians visibly starving.
Call for Immediate Action
The UN chief also condemned the killing of over 1,000 Palestinians attempting to access food aid since the GHF began operations on May 27.
Guterres called for urgent action: “an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access.”
He affirmed the United Nations’ readiness to significantly expand humanitarian operations in Gaza once a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is reached.
