NEW YORK, (PIC)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday called for crossings into Gaza to be reopened immediately to allow essential aid in, and urged Israel to “stop any escalation” after it sent tanks into Rafah.
“Things are moving in the wrong direction. I am disturbed and distressed by the renewed military activity in Rafah by the Israel Forces,” he said.
“The closure of both the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings is especially damaging to an already dire humanitarian situation. They must be re-opened immediately.”
“I urge the government of Israel to stop any escalation, and engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks,” Guterres said.
For its part, Gaza’s Ministry of Interior and National Security slammed the Israeli military operation in the area and said the Rafah crossing does not pose a risk to Israel.
The ministry warned that Rafah’s closure “exacerbates the humanitarian crisis” and “represents a policy of collective punishment against more than 2 million people.”
The ministry described the crossing as “a main lifeline for citizens in the Gaza Strip,” which “does not represent any threat to the Israeli occupation.”
