UNITED NATIONS, New York – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a strong call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip, marking the 100th day of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Speaking at a press briefing in New York, Guterres emphasized the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities to address the growing humanitarian crisis.
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. To ensure sufficient aid gets to where it is needed. To facilitate the release of the hostages. To tamp down the flames of wider war because the longer the conflict in Gaza continues, the greater the risk of escalation and miscalculation,” stated Guterres.
The conflict, triggered by a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, has led to a severe humanitarian catastrophe for the 2.4 million people in Gaza.
The situation has drawn warnings from the United Nations and aid groups, with much of the territory reduced to rubble.
Hamas’s October 7 attack resulted in approximately 1,140 deaths in Israel, mainly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel, in response, launched a relentless military campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas.
The ongoing conflict has claimed at least 24,100 lives in Gaza, with the majority being women and children, according to the Hamas government’s health ministry.
The UN estimates that over three months of fighting have displaced around 85 percent of the Gaza population, leading to crowded shelters and severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical care.
Guterres condemned the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza as “beyond words,” expressing concern over the spillover effects of the conflict, including across the Lebanon-Israeli border.
He warned that such spillover could “trigger a broader escalation and profoundly affect regional stability.”
“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” affirmed Guterres, urging an immediate ceasefire to address the pressing humanitarian needs in the region.
