“The situation in Gaza is getting more desperate hour by hour,” Guterres said during a visit to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, expressing his regret for “Israel intensifying its military operations instead of declaring a humanitarian truce supported by the international community in light of the dire need for it,” according to Agence France-Presse.
He stressed that “the number of civilians killed and wounded is completely unacceptable,” as reported by the French Agency.
The Israeli army has been waging a devastating bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip since October 7 in response to an unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on Israel.
In the Gaza Strip, more than 8,000 people were killed, most of them civilians, including more than 3,500 children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, while more than 1.5 people were displaced to escape the bombing and after an Israeli warning to evacuate the northern Strip.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced on Saturday that the war with Hamas had “entered a new phase.”
Guterres said, “The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe occurring under our watch,” according to Agence France-Presse.
He continued, “More than two million people are deprived of the basic necessities of life, such as food, water, shelter, and medical care, without having a safe place to go, while they are exposed to continuous bombardment. I urge all those who assume responsibilities to step back from the brink of the abyss.”
Guterres arrived in Nepal on a four-day visit after holding talks in Qatar.
He said, “I renew my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of continued humanitarian assistance on a scale that meets the needs of the people of Gaza.”
He continued, “We must come together to stop this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel, and all those affected across the world, including here in Nepal.”
10 Nepalese were killed and one was missing in the Hamas attack on Israel.
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