United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his call on Sunday for an “immediate ceasefire” between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel in the Gaza Strip, demanding the “unconditional release” of all hostages.
Guterres said in a recorded speech broadcast during an international donor conference in Kuwait, “I reiterate my call – the world’s call – for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, the unconditional release of all hostages, and an immediate increase in humanitarian aid.”
The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that the war in Gaza is causing horrific human suffering.
At the beginning of this month, Guterres urged Hamas and Israel to conclude an agreement that would put an end to the war through negotiations.
Last March, Guterres visited the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side, and during the visit he called for a ceasefire to allow more aid to enter.
Displacement of civilians
In a related context, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said, “It is unacceptable to force civilians in Rafah to go to unsafe areas.”
Borrell added, “Israel is obligated under international law to provide protection for civilians.”
He stressed that “it is unacceptable to force civilians in Rafah to move towards unsafe areas,” which was emphasized by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez when he considered the deportation of thousands of Palestinians unacceptable, indicating that the military operation of the Israeli occupation in Rafah must be stopped.
Despite mounting international warnings about expanding military operations in Rafah, the Israeli occupation army called yesterday, Saturday, for the “immediate” displacement of residents of neighborhoods located in the heart of the city, thus expanding its operations that began in the east of the city.