The United Nations has appointed Sigrid Kaag, the outgoing finance minister of the Netherlands, as UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza. This decision came as part of a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted on Friday, which aimed to boost humanitarian aid to the region.
As of January 8th, Kaag will be in charge of arranging, supervising, and confirming the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. She will also set up a system to expedite the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza via nations not directly involved in the conflict.
Kaag’s appointment comes at a critical time as the Israeli occupation continues its intense and unprecedented aggression on the Gaza Strip for the 81st consecutive day, inflicting significant human casualties and destruction.
The recently appointed UN Coordinator is a veteran diplomat from the United Nations who oversaw the dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile as head of an international team of weapons experts.
According to Sada El Balad News Website, she declared last July that she would be quitting the Dutch government due to the country’s growing “toxic” political climate.
We look forward to working closely with Kaag and the UN Office for Project Services on efforts to expedite and streamline the delivery of life-saving humanitarian relief to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, according to a statement released by U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Following a week of postponed votes and tense talks to avert a veto from the US, Friday’s Security Council resolution failed to demand a ceasefire.
