New York, SANA-UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Miroslav Jenca, stressed that the situation in Gaza is horrifying and unbearable adding that Palestinians are subjected to squalid, inhumane conditions on a daily basis.

During a UN Security Council session on the Middle East, as reported by the UN News website, Jenca noted that since the end of May, over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 8,100 injured while trying to access food supplies, including in the vicinity of militarized aid distribution sites.

He reiterated that international law is clear. Civilians must be respected, protected and never targeted or deliberately deprived of food or access to other lifesaving aid – doing so is a war crime.

The UN official stressed that Israel must immediately allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of sufficient amounts of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, to avert further suffering and loss of life.

Jenča also warned of dire consequences of the Israeli government’s plans to expand military operations through the entire Gaza Strip, affirming that Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State.

 Nawal/ Manar Salameh