UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the international community to advocate for a full ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages in Gaza.
Speaking at a session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres condemned the ongoing violence and emphasized the importance of securing basic human rights for Palestinians.
His comments followed remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested the U.S. could “take over” the Gaza Strip and urged Palestinians to leave.
Guterres highlighted the need for Palestinians to have the right to live as human beings in their own land, pointing out that their rights have increasingly been denied amid rising violence.
While condemning the Hamas attacks of October 7, he also denounced the ongoing destruction in Gaza, which has claimed nearly 50,000 lives, mostly women and children, and left much of the civilian infrastructure in ruins. The population is suffering from displacement, hunger, disease, and a generation of children denied education.
The UN chief welcomed the ceasefire and hostage release deal reached between Israel and Hamas in January, expressing gratitude to mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. for their efforts. However, he reiterated the need to push for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages.
Guterres also stressed the necessity of ensuring rapid, safe, and sustained humanitarian access to Gaza and appealed to Member States and donors to fully fund relief operations. He further urged support for UNRWA, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees.
On the broader path to peace, Guterres reaffirmed the importance of a two-state solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a sovereign Palestinian state.
He condemned rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and reiterated that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory must end, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.
Guterres concluded by calling for international efforts to preserve the unity of the Palestinian territory, support the Palestinian Authority, and work towards the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.
The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, established by the UN General Assembly 50 years ago, continues to advocate for Palestinian rights. Ambassador Coly Seck of Senegal, newly elected chair of the 2025 session, emphasized the need for renewed strategies to promote peace in light of recent challenges.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour of Palestine expressed gratitude for the ceasefire but stressed the need for it to be permanent, covering all of Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
He called for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, including the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of displaced people. Mansour also highlighted the vital role of UNRWA in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees.
