Warning: Gaza conflict could spread across region like wildfire; Aid groups say there are no safe zones in Gaza
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PARIS, Nov 9 (Reuters) – The conflict in Gaza is a wildfire that could spread across the region, U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday, adding that allowing the situation to continue in Gaza would be a “travesty”.
“The United Nations cannot be part of unilateral proposal to push Palestinians into so-called safe zones,” he also said, at the start of a humanitarian conference on Gaza in Paris.
Aid groups say there are no safe zones in Gaza
Jan Egeland, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told a conference in Paris on Thursday that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza was an absolute necessity.
“We cannot wait a minute more for a humanitarian ceasefire or lifting of siege which is collective punishment,” he said.
“Without ceasefire, lifting of siege and indiscriminate bombarding and warfare, the hemorrhage of human lives will continue.”
Medecins Sans Frontieres chief Isabelle Defourny called southern Gaza safe-zones “fake zones”.
Reuters denies any suggestion it had prior knowledge of Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel
International news organisation Reuters denied on Thursday any suggestion it had prior knowledge of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians and soldiers, in a statement responding to a report by media advocacy group HonestReporting.
“We are aware of a report by HonestReporting and accusations made against two freelance photographers who contributed to Reuters coverage of the Oct. 7 attack,” Reuters said.
“Reuters categorically denies that it had prior knowledge of the attack or that we embedded journalists with Hamas on Oct 7.
“Reuters acquired photographs from two Gaza-based freelance photographers who were at the border on the morning of Oct. 7, with whom it did not have a prior relationship. The photographs published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets across southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border.
“Reuters staff journalists were not on the ground at the locations referred to in the HonestReporting article.”
