UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In a high-level U.N. meeting on Tuesday, the Secretary-General of the United Nations warned of the rapidly worsening situation in the Middle East. With societies fracturing and tensions reaching boiling point, there is an increasing risk of the Gaza war spreading throughout the region. To address this crisis, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to provide urgent necessities such as food, water, medicine, and fuel. He pleaded with all involved parties to step back from the brink of further violence and loss of life.
Guterres emphasized the importance of adhering to the rules of warfare in the U.N. Security Council’s monthly meeting on the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ministers from the main parties in the war and several other countries traveled to New York City to participate in this significant event. The secretary-general recognized the grievances of the Palestinian people but condemned the “horrifying and unprecedented Oct. 7 acts of terror” by Hamas in Israel, while demanding the immediate release of all hostages.
At the same time, Guterres highlighted that the collective punishment of the Palestinian people is unjustifiable, despite the abhorrent attacks. He expressed deep concern about the alarming level of destruction and civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s constant bombardment of Gaza. Upholding international humanitarian law and protecting civilians is of utmost importance in any armed conflict, he emphasized.
Without explicitly naming Hamas, the U.N. chief stressed that using civilians as human shields is unacceptable when it comes to protecting them. Furthermore, Guterres criticized Israel — without specifically naming the country — for ordering more than one million people to evacuate to an area without basic necessities such as shelter, food, water, medicine, and fuel, only to continue bombing that very area.
The United States is pushing for the adoption of a resolution that would condemn the Hamas attacks in Israel and the violence against civilians, while reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defense. The resolution, which is still under negotiation, is expected to demand the immediate release of all hostages, urge respect for international laws pertaining to war and the protection of civilians, call on all nations to prevent a spillover of the conflict, and emphasize the need for immediate humanitarian access to Gaza.
