UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
“It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent. It is time to allow humanitarian assistance at scale. And it is time to respect international law,” Guterres said.
He called for a political path toward lasting peace across the region and urged Israelis and Palestinians to work toward a future where both can live “side by side in peace and security.”
Guterres described the Hamas attack, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and involved the taking of 251 hostages, as “abhorrent.”
He also highlighted the “massive loss of life, displacement and destruction” faced by Palestinians in Gaza, saying their suffering “demands an end, now.”