United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed the call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, warning of the outbreak of a regional conflict, while the Security Council – today, Friday – discussed the situation in the Strip.
“I renew the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for humanitarian reasons and the release of the hostages,” Guterres said.
He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and take urgent steps to calm tensions in the region.
“There is a continuing risk of a broader regional conflict the longer the conflict in Gaza continues,” Guterres said.
In the same context, Guterres expressed his concern about what he called the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank, including intensified Israeli operations and settler violence.
The Security Council once again discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, where Israel continues its military operations, prevents the arrival of aid, and bombs hospitals and various vital facilities.
France’s delegate to the Security Council, Nicholas de Rivière, said, “The priority must be a ceasefire with the support of all parties.”
As for Robert Wood, the US deputy delegate to the Security Council, he said that Israel must take what he called additional measures to avoid causing harm to civilians.
worsening conditions
For his part, Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Middle East Affairs, pointed out that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is getting worse.
He added, “Many Palestinians were killed by Israeli bullets in the West Bank, especially Tulkarm and Jenin.”
It is noteworthy that Israel has launched a continuous aggression against Gaza since last October 7, which has so far led to the death of more than 21 thousand Palestinians, most of whom are women and children.
In parallel with the aggression against Gaza, the Israeli occupation is launching a campaign of arrest and killing in various cities and regions of the West Bank.