Posted on 02 November 2023
UN Secretary General António Guterres says he is “deeply alarmed by the intensification of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza”, a conflict which “civilians have borne the brunt of... from the outset."
Women and children in Gaza are particularly vulnerable, making up 67% of the over 8000 people killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict. It has been reported that this includes almost 3500 children, with over 1 million children experiencing severe shortages of essential supplies.
Despite aid trucks able to enter Gaza via Rafah since October 21, the “current amounts are a fraction of what is needed to prevent further deterioration in the already-dire humanitarian situation, including civil unrest”, says OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Guterres is continuing to call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for unimpeded humanitarian access” into Gaza.
New Zealand INGOs need public support to provide life saving assistance to civilians in the region. Below is a list of organisations who have launched public appeals for the crisis: