UN Secretary-General Calls for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire, Urges Surge in Aid

UN Secretary-General Calls for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire, Urges Surge in Aid
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, warning that the humanitarian crisis in the territory has reached “horrific proportions.” He demanded full, safe, and sustained access for the delivery of desperately needed aid to civilians trapped by the conflict.

Speaking before departing for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Guterres said the situation in Gaza is now worse than at any other point in the long-running conflict. He described relentless airstrikes hitting tents, families, and those with nowhere left to flee, saying, “People are being killed simply trying to feed themselves and their families.”

Referencing the limited aid allowed in, Guterres said the trickle must become a flood. A small UN shipment of medical supplies crossed the border this week, the first in months, but far from sufficient. “Doctors are forced to choose who gets the last vial of medicine. Aid workers themselves are starving. This cannot be normalized,” he said.

As the occupying power, Israel is legally obligated to ensure humanitarian access under international law, Guterres reminded. He also rejected alternative aid delivery plans as risky and unnecessary, insisting the UN’s established system, trusted for its neutrality and impartiality, must be used again.

Calling on global leaders to honor their legal and moral responsibilities, Guterres said a political solution remains the only lasting answer. “The only sustainable path to re-establishing hope is by paving the way to the two-state solution. Diplomacy and human dignity must prevail,” he urged.