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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, describing the humanitarian situation as a “moral stain on us all”.
In remarks delivered by his cabinet chief Earle Courtenay Rattray, Mr Guterres said the UN was “sparing no effort” to deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza and to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
“Those being held hostage have been suffering along with their families for far too long,” he said in his remarks, which came during a ministerial-level open debate at the UN Security Council, headed by Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 38,800 Palestinians have been killed, with about 89,000 injured and thousands more missing.
Citing Israeli sources, Mr Guterres said more than 1,500 Israelis and foreign citizens have been killed and in excess of 7,000 injured, with 125 hostages still being held in Gaza.
The warring parties were urged to “reach a deal now”.
More than eight months into Israel’s war with Hamas, Palestinians in Gaza are facing widespread hunger and hardship despite a substantial international relief effort.
The UN has been grappling for months with how to transport and distribute food and other supplies to the population.
Mr Guterres said obstacles include movement and access restrictions, limited fuel supply, attacks on aid convoys, widespread criminality amid the breakdown of law and order, inadequate security equipment, an ineffective humanitarian notification system and other co-ordination mechanisms.
He also noted that Israel is altering the geography of the occupied West Bank through administrative and legal measures.
Mr Guterres remarked that settlement expansion is likely to accelerate due to significant land seizures in strategic areas, coupled with changes in planning, land management, and governance.
He emphasised, "Recent developments are driving a stake through the heart of any prospect for a two-state solution."
The UN chief further highlighted that Israel has taken punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority and has legalized five Israeli outposts in the West Bank.
Palestine's envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, argued that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “only cares about his own political survival”.
In a powerful appeal, Mr Mansour asked the council: “What will you do to ensure he is not the one calling the shots? And here, I'm talking to you, the Security Council. What are you going to do to stop this lunatic from continuing this genocidal war against the Palestinian people?”
In recent months, Israel and Hamas have held indirect talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt to try to reach a ceasefire deal.
Last month, the UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Joe Biden’s ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip.
The vote marked the first time the world body has backed a comprehensive peace agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Washington's UN envoy, highlighted the Security Council's unity and its ability to speak “with one voice and back a concrete, realistic plan”, noting this has led to progress.
“Israel and Hamas have now both agreed to the ceasefire framework endorsed by the council in Resolution 2735,” she said.
“There are still gaps to be closed and this council must keep pressure on Hamas to accept the deal outlined in Resolution 2735, and begin implementing it without delay and without conditions.
“This is what we all want here in this council, it's what the Palestinians in Gaza want.”
