UN urges renewed ceasefire and immediate humanitarian access after strikes in Gaza; UNIFIL reports strikes near Blue Line

The United Nations on March 14 urged parties to restore a ceasefire and immediately resume unimpeded humanitarian assistance to Gaza after what the secretary-general described as "reports of hundreds of people" killed in recent air strikes.

At a press briefing in Geneva, the secretary-general said the talks he convened on Cyprus were held in a constructive atmosphere but stressed separately that the situation in Gaza was "intolerable" and called for the unconditional release of remaining hostages and renewed humanitarian access.

Under-Secretary-General and emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher told the Security Council and journalists that gains made during a recent ceasefire are being reversed. "This total blockade of life-saving aid, basic commodities, and commercial goods will have a disastrous impact on the people in Gaza who remain dependent on a steady flow of assistance into the Strip," Fletcher said, adding that during the ceasefire more than 4,000 trucks of aid per week entered Gaza, aid programs reached over 2,000,000 people and polio vaccination targets exceeded 600,000 children.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said an evacuation order covered about 23 square kilometers — more than 6% of the Gaza Strip — and included more than a dozen sites sheltering displaced people, three clinics and one field hospital. OCHA warned that no guarantees have been provided for the safety and protection of those ordered to leave or for those remaining behind. The World Health Organization said planned medical evacuations were denied and called for their resumption.

Muhammed Hadi, humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, described the killings as "unconscionable" and said civilians continue to endure "unimaginable suffering," calling for an end to hostilities, sustained humanitarian assistance, release of hostages and restoration of basic services. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, added that there is "no military path out of this crisis" and that only a political settlement in line with international law can end the suffering.

UNIFIL (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) reported observing air activity and strikes north of the Blue Line, including an air attack near Yaron in which rockets passed over UNIFIL positions before impacting approximately 500 meters north. The mission said it requested the Israeli Defense Forces to halt firing near peacekeeping personnel and reported discovering ammunition caches in its area of operations.

In a question-and-answer exchange, UN spokespeople said the latest publicly reported Gaza death toll from the Ministry of Health in Gaza exceeded 400, and that the full extent of casualties and damage was still being established. When asked about calls for an arms embargo, spokespeople said such measures are decisions for the UN Security Council and member states, and reiterated the secretary-general's call that countries with influence on the parties should press for restoration of the ceasefire.

Discussion-only items at the briefing included the humanitarian consequences of halted electricity and water desalination, disruption of bakeries, shortages of medicines and interruptions to psychosocial and education services. No Security Council decision or other formal UN action was announced during the briefing.

Ending: UN officials said they would continue to report developments and urged member states and parties to take steps to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and protection of civilians.