In the wake of American diplomatic efforts, Israel has incrementally permitted some humanitarian assistance to pass through Egyptian checkpoints into Gaza. However, according to United Nations relief organizations, for an extended period, a mere 10% of the essential food supplies made it through to the region. Progress was noted last week when Israel facilitated the opening of the Kerem Shalom border crossing, leading to a surge in truck movement. Despite this, an Israeli military operation on Thursday morning at the Palestinian side of the crossing resulted in a temporary halt to aid distribution, as reported by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Sigrid Kaag is a seasoned diplomat with a substantial tenure in the Middle East, including time spent in the Palestinian territories. Her journey with the United Nations began in 1994 in Sudan, followed by roles with UNRWA and as a regional director for UNICEF in the Middle East. Her U.N. career also includes a position as assistant director at the U.N. Development Program, leadership of the mission to dismantle Syria’s chemical arsenal, and a stint as the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, which she concluded in October 2017.
Kaag transitioned to Dutch politics where she broke new ground as the Netherlands’ first female foreign minister in 2018 and, more recently, held the positions of deputy prime minister and finance minister starting in January 2022.
In July, she decided to step away from her political career, citing the toll that “hatred, intimidation, and threats” had taken on her family’s well-being. Kaag recounted to Euronews an alarming incident where an individual appeared at her residence, brandishing a lit torch and shouting. This event underscored the unpredictable nature of the threats she faced.
“The safety and peace of mind of your loved ones always come first,” Kaag, a mother to four children, expressed in an interview with Euronews in October. “While I could personally endure the difficulties, the impact on my family was another matter. Their perspectives and concerns are paramount to me, and they ultimately guide my decisions.”
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The passage discusses the situation in Gaza where, after U.S. pressure, Israel allowed some aid to enter through Egypt but initially only 10% of the food needs were being met. The Kerem Shalom crossing was later opened to increase truck traffic for aid, but an Israeli strike halted the pickups, according to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
The text also provides a brief career overview of a person named Kaag, who has extensive experience working in the Middle East and with the United Nations since 1994, including roles with UNRWA, UNICEF, and as a leader of the U.N. mission to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. Kaag served as the U.N. special envoy for Lebanon until 2017, then moved into Dutch politics where she became the country’s first female foreign minister in 2018, and later the first female minister of finance and deputy prime minister in January 2022.
Kaag decided to leave Dutch politics citing “hate, intimidation, and threats,” including a particularly frightening incident where a man with a burning torch showed up at her home, which weighed heavily on her family’s safety and influenced her decision to step down.
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