UNSC Urges Gaza Civilians Protection After Deadly Aid Convoy Incident Kills Over 100 People

The UN Security Council (UNSC) has underscored the need to protect civilians in Gaza in the wake of the deadly incident at an aid convoy on Thursday, drawing grave concern from across the world, including India.

Members issued a statement on Saturday expressing their deep concern over reports that “more than 100 individuals lost their lives, with several hundred others sustaining injuries, including gunshot wounds…in an incident involving Israeli forces at a large gathering surrounding a humanitarian assistance convoy southwest of Gaza City.”

Read More: Israel-Hamas War: Stampede or Massacre? Over 100 Killed While Seeking Aid In Gaza; US, UN, EU, Middle East React

In a statement issued on Saturday, they noted that an Israeli investigation is underway. The Council stressed the need to take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, adding that all parties to conflicts must comply with their obligations under international law. Parties were urged to refrain from depriving civilians in Gaza of basic services and humanitarian assistance. The Council expressed grave concern that the entire population, more than two million people, could face alarming levels of acute food insecurity.

Members reiterated their demand for parties “to allow, facilitate, and enable the immediate, rapid, safe, sustained and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip”. They urged Israel to keep border crossings open for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, to facilitate the opening of additional crossings to meet humanitarian needs at scale, and to support the rapid and safe delivery of relief items to people across the enclave.

US Aid

The United States on Saturday carried out the first of what it said would be a series of humanitarian airdrops of food into Gaza, as aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave in the absence of a ceasefire deal. Three C-130 military planes delivered more than 38,000 meals into a territory with the help of Jordanian forces.

With talks in Egypt set to resume on Sunday, the framework for a deal on a six-week ceasefire was in place, with Israel’s agreement, and depended on the militant group Hamas agreeing to release hostages. Israel and Hamas have been negotiating via mediators including Egypt and Qatar. The delegations from both sides were expected in Cairo on Sunday to resume indirect talks, but an Israeli report cast doubt on this.

There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas. The Egyptian sources told Reuters that the parties had agreed on the duration of a truce, as well as hostage and prisoner releases, adding that completion of the deal still required an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Gaza and a return of residents.

(With agency inputs)