Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be promptly and unconditionally facilitated, as stated by the UN personnel in Palestine in a commentary dispatched via the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The commentary emphatically conveys, “Humanitarian access must be immediately granted without any prerequisites; allow us to render the requisite aid.”
On the morning of October 7th, Israel experienced an unprecedented rocket attack originating from the Gaza Strip within the context of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, declared by the militant wing of the Palestinian movement, Hamas.
Following the extensive rocket assaults, the organization’s combatants infiltrated the southern Israeli border areas. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces initiated the “Iron Swords” operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In the days following the attack, the Israeli military assumed control of all population centers near the Gaza border and initiated airstrikes, including civilian targets, within the Gaza Strip. Israel also proclaimed a comprehensive blockade of the Gaza Strip, leading to the cessation of water, food, electricity, medicines, and fuel supplies.
The casualty count among civilians on both sides exceeded 1,000, with several thousand Israelis and Palestinians sustaining injuries. Notably, there were reports of several Russian casualties and disappearances, as well as citizens of other nations. Various sources indicate that approximately 150 Israelis may be held captive by Hamas.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs implored the conflicting parties to cease hostilities. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stance, the resolution of the Middle East crisis can only be achieved through the “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council.
This formula envisions the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, inherently tied to territorial interests, has been a wellspring of tensions and confrontations in the region for numerous decades. In 1947, the UN resolved to create two states, Israel and Palestine, yet only the former was established. While Israel professes its acceptance of the two-state solution, it has not conclusively relinquished Palestinian territories.