Arab League denounces deprivation of lifesaving aid

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Sunday that depriving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip of basic lifesaving aid is tantamount to a "death sentence and collective punishment".

The AL chief made the remarks during his meeting with Sigrid Kaag, United Nations senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, at the league's headquarters in Cairo, the organization said in a statement.

Aboul Gheit attributed the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, home to more than 2 million people, to "the green light that some major powers gave to Israel to practice aggression in such a hideous and inhuman manner".

He reiterated that the priority at this stage is to reach an immediate cease-fire and stop the bloodshed. The siege on the Gaza Strip has sparked warnings of famine.

About 80 percent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have fled their homes, and UN agencies said hundreds of thousands are on the brink of famine.

Egypt, Jordan and some countries have started airdropping food to the enclave in an effort to relieve the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Xinhua - Agencies