UN Secretary-General: Land Route is the Only Effective Way to Deliver Aid to Gaza

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, said on Sunday, April 5, that the only effective and efficient way to deliver heavy humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza is through land routes. Guterres, after meeting with the President and Foreign Minister of Egypt in Cairo, also warned about the global impact of the Gaza war. He accused Israel of undermining the dignity of Palestinians, leading to a credibility crisis for the international community. On Saturday, during a visit to the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side, he criticized the blockage of aid trucks at the border with Egypt, where people are facing hunger. However, Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, in response to Guterres's remarks, stated that the UN under his leadership has become an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic entity that shelters terrorists and emboldens them. The Israeli Foreign Minister wrote in a post on social media platform 'X': 'Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, stood at the Rafah crossing today and blamed Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza without condemning the Hamas-ISIS terrorists who are looting humanitarian aid.' He stated that Guterres did not even call for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Katz further claimed that the Secretary-General made these statements without condemning UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) for collaborating with terrorists. He previously mentioned in another post on 'X' that Israel has allowed anyone willing to help to bring 'extensive humanitarian aid through land, air, and sea' into Gaza, but Hamas militants, with the 'collaboration' of UNRWA, severely disrupt this. Guterres in Cairo stated that the UN is working hard to maintain financial support for UNRWA, which he called the backbone of humanitarian aid inside Gaza. Following Israel's accusations regarding the involvement of 12 UNRWA staff members in Gaza in the October 15 Hamas attack on Israel, several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, halted their financial assistance to UNRWA. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, expressed regret over Washington's decision on Sunday. He described the decision as temporary and stated, 'We will have the opportunity next year to push for a new decision.' Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, during his latest visit to Tel Aviv, discussed the 'necessity of defeating Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that civilians are safe and does not obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza while ensuring Israel's security.' Israel's reaction to Guterres's criticisms: the UN has become an anti-Semitic and anti-Israel entity. Guterres called for unrestricted access for Gaza civilians to humanitarian aid. A UN official stated there is substantial evidence to prove 'sexual violence' by Hamas in the October 7 attack. Israeli officials: the US has made a new proposal for the release of some Hamas hostages. Israel: at least 170 Palestinian militants were killed during the clashes at Shifa Hospital. Blinken entered Israel to negotiate a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. The US military continues to provide aid to Gaza civilians; over 50,000 food packages were sent from the air on Thursday.