UN chief reiterates call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip.

“The world is standing by as civilians, mostly women and children, are killed, maimed, bombarded, forced from their homes and denied access to humanitarian aid,” Guterres said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The UN chief said “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza” was the sole means of preventing “a spillover that could send the entire region up in flames.”

He emphasized the importance of addressing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, establishment of ceasefire, and releasing hostages.

According to the UN, 85% of the population of Gaza is already internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

SS