UN Chief Condemns 'Unprecedented' Civilian Killings in Gaza, Fails to Call Them War Crimes
Speaking in New York on Monday, Guterres said he had never seen such a "killing of civilians that is unparalleled and unprecedented" in any conflict during his tenure as the UN chief.
He said the most tragic aspect of the situation was the thousands of children who had lost their lives in the past few weeks in the besieged Gaza Strip. "This is what matters," he said, while presenting a new UN environmental report.
Guterres urged the parties to end the violence and to seize the opportunity to pursue a peaceful resolution of the long-standing conflict. He said it was "essential" to move towards the so-called two-state solution after the war, in a "determined and irreversible way."
He also said he had been "very clear" in condemning the violations of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians since the start of the war on October 7..
When asked why he had not labeled the Israeli attacks as "war crimes", Guterres said he did not have the "mandate" to do so.
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The Gaza Strip has been under intense Israeli bombardment since Hamas launched a surprise offensive against the occupied territories on Oct. 7.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 13,000 Palestinians, including over 9,000 women and children, have been killed and over 30,000 injured since then.
Israel's air and ground assaults have also destroyed or damaged thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, in the besieged territory.
An Israeli blockade has also deprived Gaza of fuel, electricity, and water, and severely limited the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Source: Agencies
