Leading United Nations officials demanded on Monday “an end to the appalling human suffering and humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza nearly one year into the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.
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“These atrocities must end,” they said in a statement signed by the heads of UN agencies that include Unicef and the World Food Programme along with other aid groups as world leaders gathered in New York for the annual UN General Assembly.
“Humanitarians must have safe and unimpeded access to those in need,” they said. “We cannot do our jobs in the face of overwhelming need and ongoing violence.”
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Israel mourns hostages killed in Gaza as ceasefire deal remains out of reach
Israel mourns hostages killed in Gaza as ceasefire deal remains out of reach
The UN has long complained of obstacles to getting aid into Gaza during the war and distributing it amid “total lawlessness” in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Nearly 300 humanitarian aid workers, more than two-thirds of them UN staff, have been killed.
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