‘Not asking for the moon’ – UN official pleads for Gaza ceasefire

Calls for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza have been renewed by UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths on Friday.

“Call it what you will, but the requirement, from a humanitarian point of view, is simple. Stop the fighting to allow civilians to move safely,” Griffiths said in an address to the UN General Assembly.

“We are not asking for the moon,” Griffiths added. “We are asking for the basic measures required to meet the essential needs of the civilian population and stem the course of this crisis.”

The Israeli aggression killed more than 12,000 innocent civilians.

“Give the people of Gaza a breather from the terrible, terrible things that have been put on them these last few weeks,” Griffiths pleaded.

Griffiths said that fuel was essential for distributing humanitarian aid and “keeping people alive.”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, dismissed Israel’s calls for civilians in Gaza to evacuate to “safe zones” in the south.

“The zone is neither safe nor feasible for the number of people in need,” Türk explained.

Calls for a ceasefire have been raised for weeks now, with no action taken.