I just came from the gate to Gaza (Rafah Crossing) with a deep emotion and a broken heart.

On one hand, to see the generosity of drivers of so many more than 100 trucks.

Some have been there for a few days waiting to be able to cross and they are a lifeline to the people in Gaza.

The difference between death and life, with water, with food, with medicines, with everything the people of Gaza need.

And at the same time when we have the trucks stuck at the border, we have the people in Gaza in a dramatic situation.

Children, mothers, elderly people, all without water, without electricity, without food, without medicine.

And so, we must stop this dramatic impasse.

We absolutely need to move the trucks as quickly as possible, and as many as possible, from Egypt into Gaza.

Now, there was an announcement by the US and by Israel, that humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza.

There are agreements in principle between Egypt and Israel in this regard, but we need to overcome the conditionalities and the obstacles that still exist.

We are engaging very actively with Israelis, with Egyptians and with the Americans, to see if as soon as possible we are able to move the trucks.

But it's important that we have not a one-shot operation.

It's important that we have continued support, with a meaningful number of trucks approved every day to cross.

On the other hand, there must be a verification.

That verification needs to be serious, but it needs to be also expedited and practical.

We have seen how many trucks are there that are led by the Egyptian Red Crescent.

It's important to recognize the role of the Egyptian Red Crescent and of other Egyptian institutions that are there also to support the people in Gaza. It’s not only the United Nations.

And it is essential to have fuel on the other side from UNRWA to be able to distribute humanitarian aid for the population in Gaza.

At the same time, this is a war zone, and that is the reason why I've asked for a humanitarian ceasefire.

We don't consider it to be a condition sine qua non because we don't want the Gaza people to be punished twice.

First, with water, second, with the absence of humanitarian aid.

But let's be clear, a humanitarian ceasefire would enormously facilitate and make much safer the distribution of humanitarian aid.

I have repeatedly said that the barbaric attack by Hamas needs to be condemned.

But I've also said they can not be a pretext for a collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

It's absolutely essential to respect international humanitarian law.

It's absolutely essential to protect civilians.

And it's absolutely essential to make humanitarian aid come to the Palestinians in need.