New York, United States. A top United Nations humanitarian official called on Friday for humanitarian aid to be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Call for unobstructed humanitarian passage
Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, made the appeal as Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade route.
“When routes close and costs surge, the help we can deliver shrinks – and the people who need it most are the ones who lose it first,” Fletcher said in a statement.
“So, my message to the parties to the conflict and all those with influence over them is simple: humanitarian cargo must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Conflict and impact on shipping
The war started two weeks ago when the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran, killing top officials, including its supreme leader. Hundreds of others have also died since the Feb. 28 start of the war, which has spread across the Gulf region.
Iran retaliated to the initial US-Israeli attack by launching its own strikes and deploying about a dozen mines in the strait.
Rising costs and reduced aid deliveries
The ongoing conflict has already caused a near halt in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Fletcher said, adding that this will make it harder and more expensive to deliver critical supplies, including food and medicine.
“I am speaking directly with key parties, pressing for humanitarian supplies to be allowed to keep moving unobstructed through the Strait,” he said.
How do you think disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could affect access to food and medicine in the region?