BY Mohamed Massaquoi PMSLUN
The Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Amara S. Sowa was part of the United Nations Security Council team of envoys that conducted the field visit at the Rafah Crossing from Egypt on Monday 11th December 2023.
The purpose of the informal one-day field trip, jointly organized at the behest of the United Arab Emirates and the Arab Republic of Egypt, was to obtain firsthand information and an assessment of the humanitarian situation that erupted as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, days after the United States vetoed a ceasefire resolution.
It should be recalled that following the October 7 attack on the South of Israel by Hamas and the taking of hostages, Israel launched a ferocious response to annihilate Hamas that has led to the devastation of Gaza culminating also into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The visit provided an opportunity for Ambassadors from various Member States including the Russian Federation the United Kingdom and Britain to see firsthand and assess the humanitarian needs of the people.
The team also visited a hospital in El-Arish near the Rafah crossing, where they have been treating people who had been evacuated from the conflict. Debriefing on the visit, Ambassador Sowa emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in the area and called for more humanitarian assistance to the people.
