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U.N. chief warns Gaza ceasefire gains extinguished; calls for immediate, unconditional humanitarian access
Summary
Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that a recent ceasefire in Gaza briefly offered hope for hostage releases and aid deliveries but was undone in mid-March; he and U.N. agencies warned of worsening shortages, repeated displacement and barriers to relief operations.
António Guterres, U.N. secretary-general, told Security Council members that a recent ceasefire in Gaza briefly "brought a glimmer of hope" for hostage releases and lifesaving aid, but that those "embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished" on March 18. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire.
The secretary-general said the U.N. is alarmed by statements from Israeli officials implying the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of military pressure, adding that "aid is nonnegotiable" and that Israel "must protect civilians, and it must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them." He told the council there must be no hindrance to humanitarian aid, including the work of U.N. agencies and partners.
Why it matters: U.N. and partner agencies report severe and growing shortages across Gaza, rising displacement, and repeated denial of access that is hampering deliveries of food, fuel and medical supplies for more than 2,000,000 people.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other partners reported that repeated displacement orders by Israeli forces have forced families to flee, disrupted basic services and impeded humanitarian operations. UNICEF said routine child vaccinations are being denied due to hostilities, forced displacement and blocked aid. The briefing noted that critical supplies, including food, are running out and are pushing more than 2,000,000 people deeper into hunger.
Fuel stocks have fallen sharply, the briefing said, with diesel reserves described as "critically low" and remaining fuel prioritized for hospitals, water and sanitation, and communications. U.N. agencies reported repeated attempts to retrieve fuel from areas that are inaccessible because they are under displacement orders or in so-called no-go zones; the briefing said Israeli authorities denied a U.N. attempt today to retrieve fuel from Rafah. Overall, the U.N. and partners attempted five coordinated movements today; four were denied and the single movement allowed concerned staff rotation rather than deliveries.
U.N. humanitarians carried out assessments at displacement sites hit by air strikes and provided cash assistance and shelter materials to affected families, while health partners mobilized psychosocial support for children. Volker Türk, U.N. high commissioner for human rights, urged international action to prevent the collapse of life-saving support, saying that Israeli strikes continue to kill civilians, including in shelters and health facilities.
The briefing did not announce new U.N. measures beyond repeated calls for unrestricted access and an end to blocking aid. Guterres offered the U.N.'s "good offices" for de-escalation efforts and reiterated the organization’s support for the two-state solution as a long-term political objective.
Looking ahead, U.N. officials said continued denial of access and dwindling fuel and medical supplies risk further humanitarian collapse unless the flow of aid is allowed to resume and hostages are released.
