New York: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, Israel and the wider region, as he urged leaders to stop taking action that causes civilians to “pay with their lives and their futures.”
Marking the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups against Israel, he also reiterated his demand for the unconditional release of all hostages still held in the territory.
“End the suffering for all,” Guterres said of the situation in Gaza. “This is a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defies comprehension.”
Hamas’s “large-scale terror attack” two years ago left more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals dead. More than 250 people, including women, children and the elderly, were abducted and taken to Gaza.
The ensuing assault on the territory by the Israeli military has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and hundreds of thousands have been injured. The UN believes these figures to be underestimates, given the possibility that thousands of bodies remain buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
“The horror of that dark day will be forever seared in the memories of us all,” Guterres said of the events of Oct. 7.
“Two years later, hostages remain captive in deplorable conditions. I have met with hostages’ families and survivors who shared their unbearable pain.”
He urged all those involved to “release the hostages, unconditionally and immediately,” and to make moves toward achieving a permanent ceasefire agreement and a credible political process that prevents further bloodshed.
US President Donald Trump’s recent peace proposal represented “an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end,” Guterres said.
He also stressed that the rule of international law must always be respected, and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to support for peace efforts.
“After two years of trauma, we must choose hope. Now,” he added.
The memory of victims of the conflict must be honored not only with remembrances, Guterres said, but through actions that lead to a “just and lasting peace in which Israelis, Palestinians and all the peoples of the region live side by side in security, dignity and mutual respect.”
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