NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip, marking over 100 days of intense Israeli bombardment in the besieged Palestinian territory. Guterres emphasized the critical need for a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of aid, ensure the release of hostages, and prevent further escalation and miscalculation.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. To ensure sufficient aid gets to where it is needed. To facilitate the release of the hostages. To tamp down the flames of wider war because the longer the conflict in Gaza continues, the greater the risk of escalation and miscalculation,” Guterres said at a press briefing in New York.
The ongoing Israeli strikes, since October 7, have caused a devastating humanitarian crisis for the 2.4 million people in Gaza. The toll on Palestinian civilians has been severe, with casualties mounting. Israel’s relentless military attacks have killed at least 24,100 people in Gaza, mostly women and children.
Gaza Faces Long Shadow of Starvation Amid Relentless Israeli Strikes
The situation in Gaza has been described as a humanitarian catastrophe, with more than three months of Israeli bombardment displacing around 85 percent of the territory’s population. People are crammed into shelters, struggling to access essentials like food, water, fuel, and medical care.
Secretary-General Guterres condemned the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza as “beyond words” and stressed that the majority of the UN’s Palestinian staff had fled their homes, with 152 staff members losing their lives, marking the largest single loss of life in the organization’s history.
With aid deliveries struggling to get through to a “traumatized people,” Gaza now faces “the long shadow of starvation.” “Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” Guterres said.
Expressing concern over the escalating spillover of the conflict, Guterres warned about its impact across the Lebanon-Israeli border, posing a significant risk of broader escalation and affecting regional stability.
