UN chief António Guterres says the number of civilians killed in Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip has been “unparalleled and unprecedented” compared to any other conflict since he took office in 2017. The statement comes as de-facto authorities in Gaza reported today that more than 13,300 people have been killed in the tiny enclave since October 7. The casualty numbers include more than 5, 600 children, which means that more than 100 children are killed daily by indiscriminate and disproportionate Israeli bombardments from the air, sea, and land.
Speaking to journalists today, the UN Secretary-General said that “what is clear is that we have had in a few weeks thousands of children killed.”
More than a month ago, the humanitarian situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip drastically deteriorated following attacks by the Israeli military due to atrocities committed by Palestinian armed groups in Israel, that killed over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals. The increasing escalation of violence and the complete blockade imposed on Gaza by the Israeli government has led to a humanitarian catastrophe for the people of the tiny enclave.
Latest reports from Gaza health authorities indicate that more than 13,300 civilians in total have died in the enclave since the Israeli offensive started. The dead include more than 5,600 children and at least 3,550 women.
“This is what matters. We are witnessing a killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented in any conflict since I have been secretary general,” Guterres said.
Among those killed are at least 104 UN staff, 198 health workers and 51 journalists. Tens of thousands have been wounded. Thousands of others have been reported missing and may be still trapped dead or alive under the rubble.
Figures released by the health ministry in Gaza are regarded by UN agencies as reliable.
On Sunday, the UN Secretary-General expressed his shock about the attacks hitting schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and reaffirmed that UN premises are inviolable.
Some 884,000 Palestinian civilians are seeking shelter at 154 United Nations facilities throughout Gaza in increasingly dire conditions due to the intensified fighting. Nearly 1.7 million people – more than three quarters of the total population of Gaza - have been displaced due to the attacks by the Israeli military or following an evacuation directive from the Israeli military.
In the north of Gaza, hundreds of thousands of people who are unable or unwilling to move to the south remain amid intense hostilities. They are struggling to secure the minimum amount of water and food for survival.
On Sunday, Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and stated that “this war is having a staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties, including women and children, every day. This must stop.”
Also on Sunday, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement that: "The horrendous events of the past 48 hours in Gaza beggar belief."
"The killing of so many people at schools turned shelters, hundreds fleeing for their lives from Al-Shifa Hospital amid continuing displacement of hundreds of thousands in southern Gaza are actions which fly in the face of the basic protections civilians must be afforded under international law," Türk said.
"Rules of international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in carrying out the attacks, must be strictly adhered to. Failure to adhere to these rules may constitute war crimes," he stressed.
“The pain, dread, and fear etched on the faces of children, women and men is too much to bear”, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said. “How much more violence, bloodshed and misery will it take before people come to their senses? How many more civilians will be killed?”
"This must stop," he urged. "Humanity must come first. A ceasefire - on humanitarian and human rights grounds - is desperately needed. Now."
Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner General, said in a statement on Sunday that the attacks are "just cruel".
"I watched with sheer horror reports from an attack on the Al-Fakhoura UNRWA school-turned-shelter in northern Gaza," he said.
Classrooms sheltering displaced families were hit and at least 24 people were reported killed in the strike. Up to 7,000 people were in the school at the time, the UNRWA chief said.
On Friday, following strikes on the UNRWA Al-Falah/Zeitoun school in Gaza City, ambulances could not reach the school, where 4,000 people were sheltering.
"This is yet another proof that no one, and nowhere is safe in Gaza. Once again, shelters meant to provide safety and protection to civilians have been hit, killing many people, including children. These acts not only blatantly contravene the rules of war, they also show a total disregard for humanity," he said.
Since October 7, at least 176 people sheltering in the agency's schools were reported killed and 800 wounded during Israeli bombardments, according to UNRWA.
"The large number of UNRWA facilities hit and the number of civilians killed cannot just be “collateral damage”. Most of the facilities hit had families in them including older people, parents, and children," he said, noting that the facilities were all clearly marked as UN buildings carrying a blue flag.
“This vicious war is reaching a point of no return when all rules are disrespected, in overt disregard for civilian lives. I call and appeal once again for humanity to prevail and for a humanitarian ceasefire right now,” Lazzarini said.