On April 24, the United Nations Ukraine crisis coordinator, Amin Awad, called for an “immediate stop” to fighting in Mariupol to allow the evacuation of trapped civilians in the battered city “today”. “The lives of tens of thousands, including women, children, and older people, are at stake in Mariupol,” Awad said in a statement. “We need a pause in fighting right now to save lives. The longer we wait the more lives will be at risk. They must be allowed to safely evacuate now, today. Tomorrow could be too late,” he added.
