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PORTAL PAPUA - In light of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and His Excellency Antonio Guterres the Secretary-General of the United Nations will be hosting the “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” international conference in Jordan, on June 11 th 2024.
The war in Gaza is now in its eighth month, with massive loss of life among civilians, and suffering for the entire population of over 2.3 million Palestinians across the strip. Today, famine is imminent in parts of Gaza and people continue fleeing in search for safety. Trauma is widespread. Every part of Gaza is in ruins. The situation has been exacerbated by the onset of the Rafah military operations. Within two weeks, more than 800,000 people were again forcibly displaced, while no place is safe in Gaza and without any access to food, water, shelter, or medicine.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian response in Gaza has been under severe pressure. UNRWA’s vital operations have been placed at great risk. The continuation of the conflict for such an extended period and the scale of the harm caused has grave implications for regional peace and security in the immediate and long term.
The flash appeal issued by the UN in April, identified US $2.8 billion for humanitarian agencies, to address the most urgent needs for people in Gaza and the West Bank. The UN-led humanitarian response, and the support of the regional Member States and donors, supplemented by the Mechanism for Gaza to be established under Security Council resolution 2720 (2023), have collectively helped the civilian population. However, delivery of humanitarian assistance remains severely hampered and unpredictable due to the many constraints at almost every level - constraints that the UN and partners have been voicing since the start of the conflict.
A paradigm shift is now needed to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, the unimpeded delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid, and the upholding of obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. We must come together to urgently deliver humanitarian and medical assistance in an immediate, adequate and sustainable manner.
The “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” Conference, recalling the existing humanitarian response and work done to further Security Council resolution 2720 (2023) to expedite, streamline, and accelerate the process of providing assistance, will identify ways to strengthen the international community’s response to the humanitarian catastrophe, outline effective standardized measures and procedures to deliver all necessary aid to Gaza, identify the operational and logistical needs and the types of support necessary in that regard, discuss preparations for early recovery and bring commitment for a collective coordinated response to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
To achieve these goals, the Conference will include Working Group Sessions that will consider the operational and resource implications needed to sustain the aid pipelines and create conditions conducive to the safe delivery of aid and protection of civilians, followed by a High-Level Meeting considering policy approaches for the situation ahead and concluding with a statement presenting the outcomes of the Conference.
