Statement of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem:

Civilians in Gaza are living in a state of peril. Heavy bombardments are having devastating impacts on the population.

With the communication blackout, UNFPA is unable to reach its staff in Gaza and is extremely concerned for their safety and that of the women and girls we serve. This includes thousands of pregnant women, new mothers and newborns who are unable to access essential healthcare.

UNFPA calls for the protection of all civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including health-care facilities, health workers and patients.

We call for the protection of humanitarian workers, for the unconditional release of all hostages, and for international humanitarian law to prevail.

UNFPA also joins calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies at the scale needed to respond to the desperate needs of the people in Gaza.

In this urgent test of humanity, international solidarity and peace must prevail.