On Saturday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the protection of civilians, hospitals, schools, and UN premises that are currently sheltering half a million people in the Gaza Strip.
In his address at the Cairo Summit for Peace, Guterres said: "We meet in the heart of a region that is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice. A region where it is impossible not to be rocked to the core by heart-wrenching, soul-searing images of suffering."
He noted the Palestinian enclave of 2.4 million people was living through "a humanitarian catastrophe" with thousands dead and more than a million displaced.
"The people of Gaza need a commitment for more immediate, unrestricted, and sustained humanitarian aid," said the UN Chief, calling for a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed.
He also urged for a "humanitarian ceasefire" in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Gaza, demanding "action to end this nightmare".
"We are working nonstop with all parties that are relevant to make it happen. International humanitarian law – including the Geneva Conventions – must be upheld," he stressed.
"That includes protecting civilians and not attacking hospitals, schools, and UN premises that are currently sheltering half a million people."