UN Secretary-General António Guterres has rejected Israel’s new proposal to control the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Guterres said that the proposed plan would limit aid by accounting for every calorie and grain of flour, which he called “unacceptable.” This report was published by British news agency Reuters.
Guterres stated, “Let me be clear: we will not be part of any system that does not fully respect humanitarian principles—humanity, neutrality, independence, and impartiality.”
Since March 2, no humanitarian aid has entered the Palestinian territory of Gaza, home to 2.1 million people. Israel has said that no goods will be allowed in until Hamas releases the hostages.
Last week, Israel’s military body COGAT held meetings with the UN and international aid organizations, proposing a structured monitoring and entry process for aid to Gaza. COGAT claimed in a statement that this system would prevent aid from reaching Hamas.
However, Jonathan Whittall, the UN’s senior official responsible for Gaza and the West Bank, said there is no evidence of aid diversion.
After a two-month ceasefire, Israel resumed bombing Gaza last month and deployed troops. Guterres described Gaza as a “killing field” and said that its people are trapped in an endless cycle of death.
He called for the unconditional release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire, and full humanitarian access to Gaza. Guterres emphasized that under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, is responsible for ensuring food, medical care, and public health in the territory—none of which are currently happening.
Israel, however, claims it does not have effective control over Gaza, and therefore, the rules of occupation do not apply.
The war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in response to the Hamas assault.