Merve Aydogan
11 December 2024•Update: 11 December 2024
HAMILTON, Canada
The UN's senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza stressed the need for political will to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
"I have painted a very, very bleak picture as civilians in Gaza continue to suffer," Sigrid Kaag told reporters Tuesday following a closed session at the UN Security Council, adding, "nothing prepares you for what you see, what you hear, and the conversations you’re having with your fellow human beings, Palestinians in Gaza."
“I have visited Gaza over a period of three decades in my life, and we are at a low point,” she added.
Noting the severe challenges facing both the UN and Gaza’s residents, Kaag emphasized that the impediments to delivering aid "severely obstruct" relief efforts.
She commented on her discussions with Israeli officials and emphasized "the acute need for winterization, materials, for health materials, and all of the essential supplies. There is so much lacking in Gaza."
Kaag also called for the reopening of the Rafah border crossing and the resumption of Gaza’s commercial sector, which she described as "vital" to alleviating the humanitarian crisis.
Stressing that humanitarian responses alone cannot resolve the crisis, she said: "There is no substitute, no system can and will substitute or compensate for an absence or lack of political will. This is political will and political choice."
She urged member states to take greater responsibility, saying: "Don’t ask the humanitarians to do more. We can do 50,000 things differently, but ultimately it is a decision to try to reach people."
Recalling the resilience of people in Gaza, she said: "I’m deeply humbled and struck by the individual dignity," adding that "people also feel abandoned by all of us."
She recounted concerns raised by Palestinians who fear they will be forgotten by the international community.
Reaffirming the UN’s readiness to support Gaza, she noted the systems, teams and mechanisms established to deliver aid.
However, she said the responsibility ultimately lies with member states and emphasized the need for "political will."
Kaag further appealed to the international community to act decisively and noted the importance of political solutions in addressing the crisis in Gaza.
