UN 'fears the worst' if war expands beyond Gaza

GENEVA, Switzerland — The UN humanitarian chief said Wednesday he and Iran's top diplomat had discussed fears of what an expansion of the Gaza war might entail, and had agreed it "would not be good".

At a Geneva press briefing, United Nations humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths voiced deep concern Israel's war against Hamas could expand beyond Gaza, "into the north".

"If there is to be a war in the north with Hezbollah and Israel, then I fear the worst," Griffiths said.

"We can easily imagine the worst because it will be a war that makes even Gaza with its awful horrors of daily struggle look like just a beginning."

He said he had discussed these concerns with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, whose country supports Hamas and Hezbollah militants in neighbouring Lebanon who have been involved in growing hostile exchanges with Israel.

"Naturally, the worry about expansion was the topic I discussed mainly with him," Griffiths said.

"And of course, he agreed with me that such expansion would not be a good thing."

"It would be a regional war, which would affect so many parts," Griffiths said, pointing out that impacts have already been seen in Syria and Yemen.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to its attacks on October 7, which killed an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw 240 hostages taken to Gaza.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israel's ensuing aerial bombardment and ground offensive has killed 11,320 people, mostly civilians, including thousands of children.

During Wednesday's meeting, Amir-Abdollahian had called on the UN to do more to get desperately needed aid into war-battered Gaza.

"The amount of humanitarian aid sent to Gaza is very small and almost zero, and it is necessary for the United Nations to take immediate and serious action in this regard," he said, according to a readout from Iran's foreign ministry.

He called for "strong and urgent management by the UN to remove the blockage at the Rafah border crossing and get humanitarian aid into Gaza".

Griffiths insisted the UN had 460 aid trucks ready to go, calling for more border crossings to be opened and appealing for cooperation from all parties to