UN Chief Voices Heartache Over Muslims' Plight in Gaza, Sudan Amid Eid Celebrations
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep sadness on Tuesday, acknowledging that many Muslims in regions like Gaza, Sudan, and elsewhere would be unable to fully observe the Eid al-Fitr holiday due to ongoing conflicts and severe hunger.
In his Eid message released on Tuesday, Guterres conveyed his annual well wishes to the global Muslim community, stating in a message on X, "My heart is broken knowing that in Gaza, Sudan, and many other places -- because of conflict and hunger -- so many Muslims will not be able to celebrate properly."
Sudan has been gripped by violence between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April of the preceding year. According to the UN, the conflict has resulted in over 13,000 fatalities and displaced more than 8 million people, with half of Sudan's population, approximately 25 million individuals, requiring urgent humanitarian aid.
The Israeli regime's genocidal military campaign intensified in the Gaza Strip following the initiation of an operation by Palestinian resistance movements against the occupying forces on October 7. With over 33,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, killed by the regime.
Tel Aviv's blockade on essential resources such as water, food, and electricity has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pushing its residents to the brink. The coastal enclave has witnessed extensive destruction of infrastructure, with 1.9 million inhabitants forcibly displaced, raising concerns about the outbreak of diseases and famine.