Gaza - New York: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said that the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip is enormous, that humanitarian needs are enormous and increasing, and that civilians continue to bear the brunt of this conflict, according to the UN daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning.

She added, "This came in a statement issued yesterday, Monday, about his visit to the Strip today, where he witnessed firsthand "the catastrophic impact of the hostilities."
Wennesland stated that during his visit to the Strip, he met with the heads of UN agencies and dedicated staff who work tirelessly in very difficult conditions, stressing that "their commitment and courage in providing critical support to those in need is truly commendable."
He pointed out that he also visited a polio vaccination center, adding that "its reappearance (polio) represents another threat to children in the Gaza Strip. “I welcome the humanitarian pauses to allow vaccination campaigns,” the UN official said. “Every day that passes puts more lives at risk,” he said.

He also condemned “the tragic killing of six hostages in Gaza by Palestinian armed groups.”
He reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, adding, “I urge all parties to reach an agreement that will lead to the immediate release of all hostages and a humanitarian ceasefire.”
The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said he continues to work with all stakeholders to achieve these goals.

He stressed that reaching an agreement is crucial to saving lives, reducing regional tensions, and enabling the UN, in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority, to accelerate efforts to meet the urgent needs of the people of Gaza.

“The ongoing conflict has devastated the lives of countless families,” he added. This conflict must stop.”
For her part, an independent UN expert warned that Israel’s intensification of its military offensive in the northern West Bank represents a dangerous escalation of the gross violence and human rights violations committed by Israel against the Palestinian people since October 7, 2023.
In a statement issued yesterday, Monday, Francesca Albanese, the independent UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, warned that “Israel’s genocidal violence threatens to spill over from Gaza into the occupied Palestinian territory as a whole.”
Albanese added: “There is growing evidence that no Palestinian is safe under Israel’s unrestricted control. While this was also true before the Hamas attack on October 7, the danger has intensified since then.

She noted that ongoing incitement to genocide by senior Israeli leaders and officials remains unpunished, and is often carried out by soldiers, armed settlers and others, revealing an intent to destroy the Palestinian people under occupation.
She said that increasing calls by Israeli leaders to turn West Bank cities and refugee camps into a “mini-Gaza” are translated into military operations that cause massive loss of life and widespread destruction of urban areas in the West Bank.