United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has sounded the alarm over the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza, warning that "hunger is knocking on every door" as malnutrition rates surge and Israeli military operations intensify.
In remarks delivered during a high-level UN Security Council session on "Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and Peaceful Dispute Settlement," Guterres described Gaza as a scene of “unprecedented death and destruction.” He condemned the recent bombings of UN facilities, including offices of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), noting that even WHO’s main warehouse was hit.
“These facilities were targeted despite all parties being informed of their locations,” he said, stressing that under international humanitarian law, such sites must be protected without exception.
Guterres painted a dire picture of the humanitarian system on the brink of collapse. “We are witnessing the last breaths of a principled humanitarian system — one that is being denied the conditions to operate, to provide aid, and to ensure safety while saving lives,” he stated.
He added that the latest wave of Israeli military actions and new evacuation orders in Deir al-Balah have only added to the layers of devastation in the Gaza Strip.
Addressing the core theme of the Security Council session, Guterres emphasized the vital link between international peace and multilateralism. He recalled that the United Nations was established nearly 80 years ago to spare humanity from the scourge of war, and that its Charter provides key tools for peaceful conflict resolution — including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and regional arrangements.
Guterres proposed three priority areas to revive global trust in multilateral conflict resolution:
Security Council members, especially permanent ones, must work to overcome divisions.
The Council should continue to build partnerships with regional and sub-regional organizations.
UN Member States must uphold their legal obligations under the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and human rights law.
His remarks come amid escalating concerns over the humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has left the civilian population in desperate need of food, shelter, and medical assistance.
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