In a statement issued by his spokesman, Guterres called on Israeli forces to avoid further actions “that would exacerbate the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and prevent further civilian suffering.”
The head of the organization stressed that the population, including health workers, journalists, UN staff, and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.
At the same time, he warned against launching rockets towards Israel from Gaza, as well as ground operations and the intensification of air strikes increasingly carried out by the Israeli army south of Gaza.
At the same time, he reiterated the need for “the continuous and unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the population across the Strip.”
The High Representative lamented that for people who have been ordered to evacuate, there is nowhere safe to go and very little to survive.
The Secretary-General warned of escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including intensified Israeli security operations, rising death tolls and arrests, and increased settler violence and Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
The text stressed the call for a permanent ceasefire on humanitarian grounds in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages.
The previous day, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for the silencing of the weapons and the resumption of dialogue between the parties to the conflict in Gaza.
The brutal resumption of hostilities in Gaza and its horrific impact on the civilian population once again highlights the necessity of ending the violence and reaching a political solution based on the only viable long-term foundation: full respect for the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis,” the representative said in a statement.
He also warned that hundreds of thousands of people remain in northern Gaza, at risk of bombing and deprived of food and other essential items.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombing since hostilities resumed on Friday.
On that day, in addition, the entry of aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing was completely prevented.
As a result, the already limited relief operations inside Gaza have largely halted, causing a new collapse of strained basic services.
Omani Riyal/ebr
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