UN Chief António Guterres arrives at Rafah border crossing to deliver speech

CAIRO – 20 October 2023: Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres will hold a press conference shortly at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, which is being shelled by the ongoing Israeli airstrikes.

The secretary-general of the United Nations arrived this morning at Al-Arish Airport, and inspected the humanitarian aid that should be delivered to the civilians of besieged Gaza, Extra News channel reported.

 

Guterres stressed that Egypt is the pillar of peace and the only country capable of defusing the violence, and called for the necessity of a ceasefire to bring in aid.

Guterres stated that he was shocked by the death and devastation that the National Baptist Hospital was subjected to, adding that aid, food, and medicine must get to Gaza.

Guterres reiterated that the UN is looking forward to ensuring the entry and fair distribution of aid to Palestinian citizens, stressing that Al-Arish Airport and the Rafah crossing are the two main points for the entry of aid.

Guterres called on Hamas to release the hostages and called on Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid. "I think both calls are very important.”

The UN chief also called for a ceasefire on the basis of providing humanitarian relief and delivering aid, water, food and medicine to the Strip. He affirmed that “diseases are spreading in Gaza and people are suffering and dying. Civilians in Gaza need quick and urgent medical aid.”

“This is cannot be just a one-time aid delivery; it must be a continuing operation. We have to make sure that aid enters safely. I am in Egypt to ensure this.” Guterres confirmed.

Hamas' Qassam Brigades launched on October 7 an offensive on Israeli settlements in the occupied lands by firing 5,000 missiles in 20 minutes, invoking airstrikes on Gaza that incurred scores of casualties and have not ceased until present.

Hamas fighters launched their military operation to end the suffering of the Palestinians under the Israeli siege in the Gaza Strip, and stop the provocative actions of the Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

In the latest death toll announced by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 3,500 people have been killed (the majority are women and children), and other 12,000 were injured as a result of the Israeli aggression on Gaza. Meanwhile, the number of people killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces reached 69 Palestinians and the number of the injured rose to 1,300.

Israel announced that the number of deaths reached 1,400 Israelis and more than 3,400 others were injured.