UN chief says distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza faces many obstacles

(18 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut, Lebanon - 18 January 2025
1. Wide of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres walking to news conference
2. Mid of Guterres
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:
“Tomorrow we will start with these three objectives that there will be no more fighting, that humanitarian aid will start to have a facilitated access to Gaza and that the hostages will start to be released.”
4. Wide of media
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:
“The agreement is clear. There won't be any impediments by Israel for humanitarian aid to enter in Gaza. That doesn't meant that it is easy, the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza. We have gangs looting systematically the convoys. We have other obstacles that have to do with the total degradation in Gaza.“
6. Wide of journalist asking question
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:
"A lot of actions are necessary in order to make the distribution fully effective. Distribution by UN, distribution by its partners, distribution by the private sector and distribution by other initiatives. It is clear that there is an obligation by Israel of not creating any obstacles. It is clear that the situation in Gaza is still extremely complex and a lot difficulties still remain for an effective distribution.“
8. Media
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:
“I do not see any reason for this not to happen. And the best guarantee is that I am entirely convinced that the whole of the international community will not forgive any violation of this agreement. Everybody wants peace in Lebanon and no one will accept the war to start again.”
10. End of news conference
STORYLINE:
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Saturday that the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza faces many obstacles once the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas comes into effect on Sunday.
Speaking at a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, he said
that while there "won't be any impediments by Israel" for aid entering Gaza it still wouldn't be "easy."
"We have gangs looting systematically the convoys. We have other obstacles that have to do with the total degradation in Gaza," he said.
Guterres said the distribution of aid depended on the UN and the private sector to make it fully effective.
When asked about the U.S.-brokered 60-day ceasefire in Lebanon which was an attempt to end the Israel-Hezbollah war that has killed more than 4,000 people and wounded over 16,000 in Lebanon, Guterres insisted that Israel must pull out troops before expires.
Part of the deal is that Israel will pull out from the border area with Israel and only Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers can have armed presence along the Israeli border.
"I do not see any reason for this not to happen," he said.
"Everybody wants peace in Lebanon and no one will accept the war to start again.”
AP Video by Ali Sharafeddine
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[@FllixRouge]

What obstacles???? Street-lights??????? 😅