Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, said that the resolution passed by the Security Council on Friday – which called for a truce and extended humanitarian corridors throughout the Gaza Strip, was too late and far from what is required to achieve a full ceasefire in the Strip.
The secretary-general said in a statement on Saturday that the resolution was an attempt to prevent famine in the Gaza Strip and save people, especially women and children, from a disastrous situation, but it was insufficient to stop the Israeli aggression machine, especially since it did not include a ceasefire.
He added that the decision came after delay and hesitation due to Israel’s wishes.
He emphasized that what is needed is not only the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, but mainly the protection of civilians from constant shelling, the achievement of a lasting ceasefire, and the immediate launch of a major relief operation involving hundreds of thousands who have lost the minimum necessities of life.
Aboul Gheit pointed out that every step to ease the suffering of civilians in Gaza was a step in the right direction, but addressing the humanitarian crisis would not be partial measures, or painkillers to appease the anger of world public opinion over what is happening in Gaza.
The Secretary-General of the Arab League stressed that the refusal of an immediate ceasefire was a license to kill, and that Arab efforts would not cease until an end to the war was reached.
He urged the United States to reconsider the situation and make the right decision from the humanitarian and political perspectives, instead of being swayed by the desire of the Israeli far right to inflict collective punishment and comprehensive revenge on the 2.3 million people in the Gaza Strip.
