*Photo: UN Secretary-General António Guterres*
In a powerful address to the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the continued violence in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a political solution to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
His remarks come nearly a year after the attacks by Hamas on 7 October, and the subsequent intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, many of them women and children.
Guterres emphasized that while the attacks by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups were unequivocally condemned, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an alarming level. “Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” he stated, describing the displacement of virtually the entire population of Gaza and the destruction that has left half of its residents, many of them children, homeless.
The Secretary-General expressed grave concern over the potential for a broader regional conflict, particularly as violence flares in Lebanon, where Monday marked the bloodiest day since 2006. He warned that escalation involving outside powers could push the region “into the abyss.”
Humanitarian access to Gaza remains severely restricted, with Guterres detailing attacks on UN convoys and humanitarian workers. He called for investigations into these incidents and for accountability for the deaths of 226 UN personnel in Gaza. “Attacks on humanitarians are an unacceptable assault on the values of the United Nations and must stop,” he said.
The Secretary-General reiterated the need for a two-state solution as the only path to lasting peace, calling for an end to the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state. He urged the Security Council to unite behind an immediate ceasefire, stating, “The key to peace in the region is a political solution.”
Guterres’ address highlighted the deepening humanitarian crisis and the escalating risk of wider regional conflict, urging the international community to act swiftly to prevent further tragedy.
