UN: Let Gaza civilians go!
2009-01-05 22:40
Geneva - United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees Antonio Guterres urged Israel on Monday to allow
civilians in Gaza to flee Israeli-Palestinian fighting by
crossing the border into Egypt.
In a statement issued from his Geneva office, Guterres also
implicitly told Egypt - and other countries that do not have
frontiers with Gaza - that they had a duty to give shelter to
refugees from the conflict.
"Those who are compelled to flee the Gaza Strip should be
able to do so and to find safety and security in other
countries, according to international law," said Guterres, a
former foreign minister of Portugal.
"I thus urge that all borders and access routes concerned
should be kept open and safe, and Palestinians endeavouring to
leave Gaza should not be prevented from doing so," he added.
Israel has allowed some foreign passport holders living in
Gaza to leave but borders have been sealed to all but limited
humanitarian aid shipments.
Guterres also called on Israel and Egypt to allow immediate
access for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
He said his agency, the UNHCR, had sent some emergency
supplies to the Egyptian Red Crescent to help it prepare for the
care of any Palestinians allowed across the border.
Guterres voiced "profound shock and sadness" at the
suffering and loss of life in Gaza.
"The heavy casualties
suffered by innocent civilians, including many children, are
heartbreaking," he said.
- Reuters