‘The war must stop’: UN chief Antonio Guterres fears Gaza conflict will spread

Secretary General tells The National that 'what we see is a constant violation of international law' by Israel in the West Bank

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The war in Gaza must stop, the UN Secretary General has told The National, warning of the risks of the conflict proliferating across the region.

“We are seeing a horrible situation in Gaza, with the unprecedented number of people killed and level of destruction that never existed in my mandate as the Secretary General,” said Antonio Guterres, referring to the aftermath of Hamas's October 7 attacks and the suffering of people in the enclave.

In an in-depth interview in New York, Mr Guterres warned that “we are seeing the risks of this conflict spreading to Lebanon, to other parts of the Middle East”.

“We must absolutely avoid a situation which we will have in Lebanon, a situation of deaths and destruction similar to the one that we have in Gaza,” he said.

Settlements are illegal. Grabbing of land is illegal. What we have is a massive violation of international law that needs to stop

Antonio Guterres

On October 7, Hamas fighters infiltrated southern Israel, and killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel began a military operation to destroy Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007. Its land and air offensive has killed more than 41,200 people so far, according to the enclave's health authorities.

As the war approaches its anniversary and ceasefire talks overseen by the US, Egypt and Qatar remain deadlocked, Mr Guterres expressed hope for a “complete ceasefire”.

When asked if the UN is failing in its peace mandate as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government continues to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank in defiance of international law, the UN chief responded sharply, saying: “It is not the UN that fails.

“What we see is a constant violation of international law. Settlements are illegal. Grabbing of land is illegal. The International Court of Justice has said that the occupation itself is illegal, and what we have is a massive violation of international law that needs to stop.”

Mr Guterres acknowledged the UN's limited ability to enforce these laws: “Unfortunately, the UN does not have the capacity to make it stop." But, he said: “Our voice will remain clear and loud in defence of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.

“International humanitarian law must be respected, and the protection of civilians is essential. So, the fact that Hamas might violate international humanitarian law does not give any excuse for Israel to do the same."

Despite the conflict and high regional tensions, Mr Guterres said that “hope is the last thing we should lose”.

“Negotiations are going on and … problems that exist are relatively minor if there is political will to solve them.”

Palestinian pupils sit on rubble after attending a class in a tent on the ruins of a house belonging to a teacher in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters

He urged all parties involved to demonstrate the political will necessary to end the conflict. “My appeal is for the parties to show, finally, political will to put an end to this horrible tragedy,” Mr Guterres said.

He said it was “absolutely essential” that Israel recognises that whatever has happened in Gaza, there needs to be a solution wherein Israelis and Palestinians can live together side by side in peace and security.

“There is no alternative to the two-state solution,” he said. “Can you imagine a one-state solution in which millions of Palestinians would live without any rights, victims of discrimination in a way that it would be totally unacceptable in present times?”

Mr Netanyahu has not returned the Secretary General’s calls since October, leaving Mr Guterres with little hope for a breakthrough during the General Assembly's High Level Week, set to begin on Sunday.

Mr Guterres said the attacks made by Mr Netanyahu and his government against the UN and its head “are unfair and meaningless”.

On Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi attacks on shipping in support of Hamas, he said the “escalation is also something that should stop”.

“We are having the situation of violation of the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea that's having a very negative impact in the global economy, and particularly in the economy of the countries of the region. And the freedom of navigation is an absolutely essential principle,” he said.

Six UNRWA staff among 18 killed in Israeli bombing of Gaza school

Six UNRWA staff among 18 killed in Israeli bombing of Gaza school

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Mr Guterres will also call for an end to Sudan's devastating conflict and for unrestricted humanitarian aid during talks with Sudanese military leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan at the High Level Talks next week.

The war, which erupted in April last year after rising tension between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has plunged the nation of 50 million into crisis. More than half of the population now faces acute hunger.

The UN chief said he would make a “strong appeal” to end of the war and call for “humanitarian aid to be freely distributed across the country”.

“It's important that the international community mobilises in all possible forms to make these two actors understand that this war is causing a devastating impact in the people of Sudan, that this war must stop.”