UPDATE - UN chief says 'search for food must never be a death sentence' for Palestinians in Gaza

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM GUTERRES

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned against the growing humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the "search for food" should not be a "death sentence."

"The conflict between Israel and Iran has dominated headlines. But we cannot allow the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza to be pushed into the shadows," Guterres said at a press conference at UN headquarters in New York. "The ceasefire achieved between Iran and Israel offers hope. And hope is more needed than ever."

Calling for immediate action to facilitate humanitarian relief, he said: "The search for food must never be a death sentence. Let me be clear: Israel, as the occupying power, is required to agree to and facilitate humanitarian relief."

Guterres stressed the need for urgent and practical solutions to ensure aid reaches those in need. "We need concrete actions so aid can reach all people -- swiftly, at scale, wherever they are. Any operation that channels desperate civilians into militarized zones is inherently unsafe. It is killing people," he said.

"The problem of the distribution of humanitarian aid must be solved. There is no need to reinvent the wheel with dangerous schemes," the UN chief added.

Guterres said the UN has "the solution – a detailed plan grounded in the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence," adding: "We have the supplies. We have the experience."

Asked about a report by Haaretz that revealed Israeli soldiers deployed in Gaza have been ordered to open fire on unarmed Palestinian civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, even when no threat was present, Guterres said: "Well, we don't need the report of that nature to acknowledge that there have been massive violations of international law."

"And indeed, when there is a violation of international law, there must be accountability," he affirmed.

Responding to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) accusing the UN of a campaign of misinformation about killings near their food distribution sites, Guterres said: "We didn't invent the images everybody has seen."