Following this month’s watered-down Security Council resolution, the Dutch official will supervise the aid delivered to the Gaza Strip. 

The United Nations (U.N.) named Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch minister, as its humanitarian coordinator for Gaza on Tuesday following the watered-down Security Council resolution, which called for aid to be delivered to the Strip “at scale.”

A statement by the U.N. stated that Kaag will be appointed to her position on January 8, 2024. 

“She will also establish a United Nations mechanism to accelerate humanitarian relief consignments to Gaza through States which are not party to the conflict. In executing these functions, she will be supported by the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS),” the U.N. stated. 

Earlier this month, a U.N. Security Council resolution called for the “safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale” — but did not call for an immediate end to fighting due to American pressure. 

The motion comes after two months of Israeli attacks that have killed more than 20,915, the majority of whom are women and children, and have also wounded nearly 55,000 others, according to Palestine’s health authorities.

Despite the U.S. abstaining on a vote, it praised the resolution. 

“Today, this council called for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for sustainable cessation of hostilities,” said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield. 

Russia, who also abstained from the vote, criticized the resolution, calling “it a green light for war crimes.”

“The text of the draft has lost a reference to condemnations of all indiscriminate attacks on civilians,” said Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzya, speaking through an interpreter.

 “What signal does this send to the international community? That the Security Council is giving Israel a green light for war crimes,” added Nebenzya. 

Meanwhile, Kaag has been the Netherlands’ deputy prime minister and finance minister since January 2022. 

Previously holding several senior UN jobs, including its special coordinator for Lebanon, the Joint Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and the United Nations Mission in Syria, Kaag has established regional experience.