Gaza | UN chief warns of ‘total collapse of law and order’

(United Nations) The UN Secretary General warned on Wednesday against a “total collapse of public order soon” in Gaza, shelled by Israel, in an unprecedented letter to the Security Council castigated by Israeli diplomacy.

“With the constant bombing by the Israeli armed forces, and with no shelter or basic survival, I expect a complete breakdown of law and order soon due to the desperate conditions, which would make aid impossible humanitarian, even limited”, writes Antonio Guterres, invoking for the first time since his arrival at the head of the United Nations in 2017 article 99 of the Charter which allows him to “draw the attention of the Council” to a file which ” could endanger the maintenance of international peace and security.”

“An even worse situation could occur, including epidemics and increased pressure towards mass movements to neighboring countries,” he adds.

While humanitarian aid transiting the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is “insufficient”, “we are simply unable to reach those who need help inside Gaza,” he notes, describing “decimated” humanitarian capacities.

“The international community has a responsibility to use all its influence to prevent further escalation and put an end to this crisis,” he pleaded, calling on members of the Security Council to “put pressure to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe” .

“We would like to see the Security Council call for a humanitarian ceasefire,” said its spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, describing the invocation of article 99 as a “dramatic gesture”.

Meeting Friday

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen blasted the secretary general’s letter, saying his “demand for the activation of Article 99 and call for a ceasefire in Gaza constitutes support for the organization terrorist Hamas. The head of the UN represents a “danger to world peace”, he said on X (formerly Twitter).

Following Antonio Guterres’ letter, the Security Council is expected to meet on Friday, several diplomatic sources told AFP.

And the United Arab Emirates distributed to other members of the Council on Wednesday a draft resolution which “demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, according to the short text seen by AFP.

“We cannot continue without the Security Council assuming its responsibilities,” insisted Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour.

But in its resolution adopted in mid-November, after four rejected texts and more than a month of silence on this war, the Council, divided for years on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, was only able to agree on a call for “humanitarian pauses and corridors” in the Gaza Strip, not a “ceasefire” or even a “truce”.

While the United States, Israel’s ally, had vetoed one of the previous drafts, Deputy United States Ambassador Robert Wood said Monday that a new text “would not be useful at this stage.” preferring “on the ground” work.

The war between Israel and Hamas was triggered by a bloody and unprecedented attack perpetrated by the Palestinian Islamist movement on October 7 on Israeli soil from the Gaza Strip.

Antonio Guterres once again denounced these “heinous terrorist attacks” on Wednesday and called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza.