UNhumanitariancoordinatorforGazacallsforparadigmshiftinaiddelivery_GuangmingOnlineTheUNSecurityCouncilholdsameetingonthesituationintheMiddleEast,includingthePalestinianquestion,attheUNheadquartersinNewYork,onApril24,2024.TheUnitedNations'seniorhumanitarianandreconstructioncoordinatorforGaza,SigridKaag,onWednesdaycalledforaparadigmshifttomeettheimmenseneedsofthecivilianpopulation.(LoeyFelipe/UNPhoto/HandoutviaXinhua)UNITEDNATIONS,April24(Xinhua)--TheUnitedNations'seniorhumanitarianandreconstructioncoordinatorforGaza,SigridKaag,onWednesdaycalledforaparadigmshifttomeettheimmenseneedsofthecivilianpopulation.Aparadigmshiftrequiresafurtherscale-upinthequalityandquantityofassistanceanddistribution;irreversiblestepstoenablesafe,secureandunhindereddeliveryinsideGaza;andplanningandtimelypreparationsforearlyrecoveryandreconstruction,shetoldtheUNSecurityCouncilinabriefing.Thereisnosubstituteforpoliticalwilltosustaintheseefforts,shesaid.Effectivehumanitarianoperationscannotbereducedtocountingtrucks.Effectivehumanitarianoperationsareabouttheneedforasustainedflowtodelivertherightqualityandquantityofassistance,shesaid.Thisrequiresacontinuedfocusonvolume,predictabilityandsustainabilityofdiversifiedaidtoscaleupassistance.Humanitarianagenciesmustbeabletomovefood,medicineandmanyothersuppliessafelyandviaallpossibleroutesandcrossings,intoandthroughouteverypartofGaza,shesaid.TheIsraeligovernmentmadeseveralcommitmentsonApril5toimproveaiddelivery,inresponsetorequestsbytheUNandtheinternationalcommunity.Whilsttheimplementationofsomemeasuresisongoing,furtherdefinitiveandurgentstepsareneededtosetthecourseforasustainedflowofhumanitarianandcommercialgoodsintoGazaintermsofvolume,needandreach,saidKaag.TheUnitedNationsisincontactwiththeIsraeligovernmentonothermeasuresthatneedurgentorcontinuousimplementation.Theseincludeissuespertainingtocheckpointprocedures,repairofroads,timelyclearancestoallowhumanitarianconvoymovementstotakeplaceasscheduled,theapprovalofadditionalcommunicationdevices,armoredvehiclesandsparepartsforcriticalequipment.Agreementonmedicalandcasualtyevacuationisequallyurgent,shesaid.Deliveringaidatscalerequiresafunctioninghumanitariannotificationsystemandimprovedanddirectcommunicationsbetweenhumanitariansandmilitarydecision-makersontheground.EffectiveandcredibledeconflictionisvitalforallhumanitarianactorsinGaza,shesaid."Itisourdutytoprovideprotection,support,and,therefore,hopeforthePalestinianpopulationinGaza.ItisalsoourdutytoadvocateforlastingpeacebetweenIsraelandafullyindependent,viableandsovereignPalestinianstate,"saidKaag.SheechoedtheUnitedNations'graveconcernovertheprospectofanIsraelioperationinRafah.Suchactionwouldcompoundanongoinghumanitariancatastrophe,withconsequencesforpeoplealreadydisplacedandenduringseverehardshipsandsuffering.Theworldbody'sabilitytodeliverwillalsobeconstrained,shewarned.SinceOct.7,2023,over34,000peoplehavebeenkilled,andtensofthousandshavebeeninjuredormaimedinGaza.Livelihoods,homes,schoolsandhospitalshavebeendestroyed,saidKaag.ThehealthinfrastructureinGazahasbeendecimated.Thefewhospitalsstillstandingstruggletooperateduetosevereshortagesofsuppliesandfrequentpoweroutages.Assummerdrawsnearandtemperaturesrise,communicablediseasesthreatentosweepthroughGaza,shewarned.ThescarcityoffoodandotheressentialgoodshasalsoledtoabreakdownincivilorderandthegradualunravelingofthesocialfabricinGaza.Thereisnoeffectivelawenforcement,sheadded.KaagwasappointedseniorhumanitarianandreconstructioncoordinatorforGazaperSecurityCouncilResolution2720,adoptedonDec.22,2023.ShebeganworkonJan.8,2024.TheUnitedNations'seniorhumanitarianandreconstructioncoordinatorforGazaSigridKaag(Front)speaksataSecurityCouncilmeetingattheUNheadquartersinNewYork,onApril24,2024.KaagonWednesdaycalledforaparadigmshifttomeettheimmenseneedsofthecivilianpopulation.(LoeyFelipe/UNPhoto/HandoutviaXinhua)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.