Cairo: The Arab League on Saturday called for immediate international action to halt what it described as crimes of genocide and grave violations against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, including the targeting of civilians and UNRWA institutions.
According to Jordan News Agency, Ambassador Saeed Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League and Head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector, addressed a meeting of host countries for Palestinian refugees in Cairo. He emphasized that the ongoing aggression in Gaza for over 650 days constitutes a stain on the conscience of humanity.
Abu Ali warned against efforts to undermine the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stressing that the agency embodies the international community’s commitment to Palestinian refugees. He strongly condemned Israeli decisions to ban UNRWA operations in the occupied territories, particularly in light of the deaths of 330 of its staff members and the targeting of its facilities in Gaza and Jerusalem.
He outlined the escalating violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, noting that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. He described a systematic campaign of forced displacement, including the destruction of 1,500 buildings and the displacement of over 52,000 people, along with ongoing violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites.
Abu Ali urged immediate political and financial support for UNRWA and called for the renewal of its mandate during the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly. He emphasized the importance of adopting a positive stance in the agency’s strategic review, reflecting its neutrality and effectiveness.
He highlighted the daily toll of Israeli attacks, which claim the lives of an average of 28 children per day, amid systematic destruction of education, health, and shelter facilities. Nearly 10 percent of Gaza’s population has been killed, wounded, or reported missing, with over 180 critical infrastructure sites destroyed.
He also pointed to the spread of policies of forced displacement and starvation, as well as the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, including using food assistance as a tool of siege. These conditions have resulted in the deaths of more than 770 Palestinians and the injury of over 5,000 while awaiting aid.
Abu Ali stressed that the agenda of the meeting reflects a vital step toward responding to the evolving field situation. Addressing its items wisely, he said, would strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people and support their legitimate struggle to establish an independent state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.