NO PLACE TO RUN FOR GAZANS, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

By Muin Abdul Majid
DUBAI, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- As Gaza continues to be pounded by Israeli military attacks, a United Nations (UN) official has made a grim observation of
the tragic reality on the ground -- neither homes nor UN shelters are safe for
the nearly 1.5 million people in the coastal enclave.

"There are no safe places to flee. We call on all parties to uphold
international humanitarian law and protect civilians," said UN humanitarian
coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory Maxwell Gaylard.

As one of the most densely-populated places in the world, he said, it was
clear that more civilians would be killed and more homes, buildings and
civilian infrastructure would be destroyed if the conflict continued.

"I reiterate the UN secretary-general's call for an immediate cessation to
this violence. Human beings have the right to life, liberty and security, no
matter who they are and where they live," said Gaylard in comments made
available here.

A flurry of diplomatic efforts are underway to resolve a conflict that has
claimed about 600 lives since Israel launched its assault on the Gaza Strip on
Dec 27.

Reports said some 15,000 Palestinians had packed the UN's 23 Gaza schools
because their homes were destroyed or to flee the violence.

"Well before the current fighting, the UN had given to the Israeli
authorities the GPS coordinates of all its installations in Gaza," Gaylard
said, referring to the deadly Israeli bombardment of several UN facilities
there.

He said if international humanitarian law had been contravened, those
responsible must held accountable.

-- BERNAMA