Riyaz ul Khaliq
12 December 2023•Update: 12 December 2023
ISTANBUL
The UN Security Council envoys on Monday called for an immediate end to the war in the Gaza Strip, as they visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the besieged Palestinian enclave.
“We saw the long queue of trucks waiting for passage to Gaza. We met with medical workers who were helping the Palestinians with courage and dedication,” said Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the UN.
He said the UN diplomats paid the field trip on Monday to the Rafah border, Gaza’s only entry for aid, calling it a “great” initiative by the UN diplomatic mission of the United Arab Emirates.
“We heard the strong voice calling for peace from the young volunteers.”
The visit to Rafah by the UN envoys comes after the US struck down last week a resolution by the Security Council which called for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Washington's move to bloc a call for a cease-fire in Gaza means that “bloodshed will continue,” Russia said.
“We discussed with UN humanitarian teams on the ground the serious situation they are facing,” the Chinese ambassador said.
Zhang stressed the war in Gaza “must stop now.”
“We must also double our humanitarian efforts to help the Palestinians who are struggling with the unprecedented catastrophe in Gaza,” said the Chinese diplomat.
The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has soared to 18,205, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said on Monday.
At least 49,645 other people have also been injured in the Israeli attacks, Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for the ministry said.
He also said 22 hospitals and 46 primary care centers were forced out of service due to the Israeli bombardment.
“At least 296 medics were also killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7,” al-Qudra added.
Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Israeli border towns on Oct. 7.
The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, according to official figures.
