Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the situation in Gaza.
Dear Members of the media, I am about to brief the Security Council on Haiti. The humanitarian situation is appalling, but there are faint glimmers of hope. I will urge the Security Council and the international community to step up for the people of Haiti at this pivotal time. I also want to say a word about the unfolding tragedy that is Gaza. Unbelievably, civilians are facing yet another deadly escalation. Israel's initial steps to militarily take over Gaza City signals a new and dangerous phase. Expanded military operations in Gaza City will have devastating consequences. Hundreds of thousands of civilians -- already exhausted and traumatized -- would be forced to flee yet again, plunging families into even deeper peril. This must stop. At the same time, we have seen yet more unconscionable Israeli strikes – including earlier this week at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. One attack was followed by another – killing civilians, including medical personnel and journalists who were carrying out their essential work. All with the world watching. I know so many of the reporters here – along with us – have lost dear colleagues. These attacks are part of an endless catalogue of horrors. There must be accountability. Gaza is piled with rubble, piled with bodies, and piled with examples of what may be serious violations of international law. Hostages taken by Hamas and other groups must be released and the atrocious treatment they have been forced to endure must stop. Civilians must be protected. Let's be clear: The levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent times. Famine is no longer a looming possibility -- it is a present-day catastrophe. People are dying from hunger. Families are being torn apart by displacement and despair. Pregnant women are facing unimaginable risks. And the systems that sustain life -- food, water, healthcare – have been systematically dismantled. These are the facts on the ground. And they are the result of deliberate decisions that defy basic humanity. Israel, as the occupying Power, has clear obligations. It must ensure the provision of food, water, medicine, and other essentials. It must agree to and facilitate far greater humanitarian access. It must protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. And it must end the destruction of that which is indispensable for the survival of the civilian population. The International Court of Justice has given binding provisional measures. These include the obligation to take all steps to ensure unfettered humanitarian and medical assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza -- without delay and in full cooperation with the United Nations. These measures must be implemented -- fully and immediately. The UN and our partners are doing all we can, often at great personal risk. Indeed, 366 UN personnel have tragically been killed. Day after day, our efforts are being blocked, delayed, and denied. This is unacceptable. In the West Bank, the situation is also profoundly alarming. Military operations, settler violence, demolitions, and discriminatory policies are driving displacement and deepening vulnerability. The relentless expansion of settlements is fracturing communities and cutting off access to vital resources. The recent approval of a plan for the construction of thousands of settlements in the E1 area would effectively separate the northern and southern West Bank – an existential threat to the two-state solution. I repeat: the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been established – and are being maintained -- in violation of international law. Israel must cease such actions and comply with its obligations. There is no military solution to the conflict. I appeal once again for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Starvation of the civilian population must never be used as a method of warfare. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarian access must be unimpeded. No more excuses. No more obstacles. No more lies. Thank you.
