New York, SANA – UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the scale of death and destruction in Gaza is unprecedented, cautioning that Israel’s moves to assert full military control over Gaza City signal a dangerous new phase with devastating consequences.
He also voiced deep concern over the occupied West Bank, citing military operations, discriminatory policies, and settlement expansion that are undermining Palestinian communities and threatening the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain urged faster approval for aid deliveries to Gaza, protection for civilians seeking assistance, and safe access for humanitarian workers.
During a UN Security Council session, officials reiterated that using starvation as a weapon in conflict is prohibited under international law.
Separately, more than 500 UN staff, through a letter to High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, called for the Gaza war to be explicitly recognized as genocide, referencing the scale and nature of violations. They urged the UN rights office to take a clear public stance. Several human rights groups, including Amnesty International, and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese have already described Israel’s actions as genocide.
