The UN Secretary-General addressed members of the Security Council on Thursday. UN Secretary General in the Security Council: the international community has an obligation to help defuse the situation in the Middle East Peace and Security
The international community must make a collective effort to prevent any actions that could spin the situation in the Middle East out of control – with devastating consequences for civilians. This was stated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a meeting of the Security Council on Thursday.
He again condemned the large-scale attack carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran on Israel on April 13 and the previous attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
“A cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip could significantly reduce tensions throughout the region. “I reiterate my calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages held in the Gaza Strip,” the UN chief stressed.
He also reiterated the unacceptability of the “horrific” attacks Hamas and other Palestinian groups against Israel on October 7.
Humanitarian catastrophe
At the same time, according to Guterres, the Israeli The military operation in Gaza led to a humanitarian catastrophe. According to UNICEF, more than 13,900 Palestinian children were killed. A potential attack on Rafah would only worsen the situation, the Secretary-General warned.
He welcomed “some progress” in aid delivery after Israel recently made a series of commitments to improve the humanitarian situation in the enclave. However, the UN chief noted that “progress in one area is often undermined by delays and restrictions in others.” For example, permits are granted when it is too late to deliver the goods. During the week of April 6-12, Israel rejected more than 40 percent of UN travel requests requiring passage through Israeli checkpoints.
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Humanitarian workers need security, Guterres stressed. About 250 aid workers, including more than 180 UN staff, were killed in Gaza, he said.
The Secretary General added that the provision of humanitarian assistance cannot solve all the problems in the enclave – it is also necessary to ensure the work of the private sector. And to do this you need to stop the fire and free the hostages. “The international community has a collective responsibility to do everything possible to make this happen,” Guterres added.
Violence in the West Bank
The UN Secretary-General also drew attention to the “explosive situation in the occupied West Bank.” He called on Israel to take immediate steps to end “unprecedented levels of settler violence” and protect the Palestinian population from “attacks, violence and intimidation.”
Additionally, Ch. The UN noted that Israeli settlement expansion is a violation of international law.
He recalled that the ultimate goal remains a two-state political solution within the framework of UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.
Regional escalation
Regional de-escalation efforts must also resolve the extremely difficult situation in Lebanon, especially along the Blue Line, the UN Secretary-General added. He called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further violations of the cessation of hostilities.
In addition, the safety of navigation in the Red Sea must be ensured. The UN chief called on the international community to act together to prevent the situation from escalating. “We must support the Yemeni people and the political process for a sustainable and just peace,” he said.