Foreign Minister condemns
attack on Gaza UN
building and hospital
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere condemns the Israeli attacks on the Gaza headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the The Al Quds Hospital.
“We strongly condemn these actions,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.
“This is happening despite Israel’s assurances that UN buildings, vehicles and personnel will be protected. UNWRA is the very lifeline to the Palestinian refugee population,” Mr Stoere said.
Hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge at the UNRWA headquarters during the past few days. UNRWA’s main warehouse for emergency relief supplies is located in the same compound, and all distribution of food and medicine to the civilian population has now stopped.
Already earlier this week, when UNWRA Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd met with Foreign Minister Stoere in Oslo, she briefed him on the extremely difficult conditions humanitarian organisations are working under in Gaza.
“Under international law, Israel has an absolute obligation to protect humanitarian organisations and aid workers. A ceasefire is now essential and humanitarian corridors must be established immediately to enable emergency supplies to reach the Palestinian population, whose suffering is growing worse by the hour. Attacks like the one we have witnessed today are entirely unacceptable and in violation of international humanitarian law,” Mr Stoere said on Thursday, after ending talks with Egyptian leaders in Cairo.
Source: Norway Post/Press Release
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