After nearly a week of assessing the situation in Gaza, Ajit Sunghe told reporters in Geneva via video link from the Jordanian capital Amman that the level of destruction in Gaza was worsening, with local markets facing destruction.
“There is a dire need for food, water and shelter in Gaza right now. I have seen women and children looking for food and drink in garbage heaps. People are dying every day. But these deaths are completely unavoidable,” he said.
“There was a call from all the people of Gaza to stop this destruction immediately.”
Ajith Sanghe said that the food shortage was so dire that it had never been seen during the 13-month war. The crisis has been deepened by the breakdown of public order and frequent looting and violence over scarce resources.
He said there was an urgent need for humanitarian assistance on a very large scale.
Lebanon needed after the ceasefire
Meanwhile, various UN agencies have welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, calling it a huge relief for millions of people.
It is worth noting that after the signing of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon this week, millions of people who fled to safety have started to return to their homes.
Jeremy Lawrence, spokesman for the Geneva-based office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights-OHCHR, called on all parties to respect the Lebanon ceasefire and resolve any disputes within that framework.
Spokesman Jeremy Lawrence said the focus should now be on providing the necessary support to people in need.
“For this next phase, human rights must be at the core. Many people will return to find their homes uninhabitable. Hospitals, schools, places of worship and other critical infrastructure have been severely damaged.”
He said, protecting people in dangerous situations should be a priority.
Spokesman Jeremy Lawrence also reiterated the call of High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who called on the international community to help implement the ceasefire.