On Thursday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the deaths of over 100 civilians seeking humanitarian help in Gaza necessitated a competent impartial investigation.
Speaking in St. Vincent and the Grenadines ahead of a regional conference, Guterres said he was “shocked” by the current phase in the conflict with Israel, in which Palestinian authorities claim over 30,000 people have been murdered since October 7. More than 70,000 people have been injured, and dozens more are trapped under rubble, with the majority of their fate unknown.
In response to queries about the failure of a recent Security Council resolution seeking a ceasefire, Guterres stated that deepening geopolitical divides have “transformed the veto power into an effective instrument of paralysis of the action of the Security Council.”
“I am totally convinced that we need a humanitarian ceasefire and we need the unconditional and immediate release of hostages and that we should have a Security Council able to achieve these objectives,” Guterres said.
