UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urgently appealed for measures to reduce tensions in Gaza and its neighbouring regions.
"I call for urgent steps to de-escalate the situation and spare the region from more violence before it is too late," the top UN official told the meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on Wednesday.
"As we seek to address mounting needs in Gaza, we also remain focused on the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," said the Secretary-General.
"I am extremely alarmed by the high levels of settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian attacks against Israelis also continue."
"All of this violence must stop, and the perpetrators held accountable," he added.
The Secretary-General commended the vital role of the committee amid the protracted question of Palestine and escalating violence, particularly highlighted by the October 7 attack by Hamas in Israel and Israel's ensuing military operations in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.
Describing the aftermath in Gaza as "a scar on our shared humanity and conscience," the Secretary-General lamented the "death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief" over the past 120 days.
Highlighting the relentless bombardment and conflict, he said, "The ongoing conflict and relentless bombardment by Israeli forces across Gaza have resulted in killings of civilians and destruction at a pace and scale unlike anything we have witnessed in recent years."
He expressed horror at the military strikes that "have killed and maimed civilians," emphasising that over "26,750 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza alone -- more than two-thirds women and children".
Guterres pointed out the severe impact on civilian infrastructure, with "over 70 per cent... including homes, hospitals, schools, water, and sanitation facilities in Gaza -- have been destroyed or severely damaged," leading to 1.7 million displacements.
Reaffirming the principles of international humanitarian law, he stressed that "no party to an armed conflict is above international law".
The Secretary-General also addressed serious allegations against staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), saying that "I was personally horrified by these accusations".
He outlined steps being taken to address them, highlighting the importance of UNRWA's "vital work".
With Gaza's humanitarian system on the brink of collapse and 2.2 million people facing "inhumane conditions," the Secretary-General called for "rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza".
He emphasised the need for more crossing points to ease congestion and ensure continuous humanitarian access, alongside a plea for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire".
Guterres concluded with a call for progress toward a two-state solution.
"Only the two-state solution... can ensure the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people as well as a just and lasting peace and stability in the region."
He urged the international community to remain steadfast in its commitment to advancing a meaningful peace process.
Operation Sindoor: PM Modi meets Rajnath Singh, NSA Doval and three service chiefs
In the backdrop of the ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and Chiefs of the Armed Forces and senior officials.
11 more Bangladeshi nationals held in Tripura
The Tripura Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF), jointly with state police, on Friday apprehended 11 more Bangladeshi nationals, including four women and four children, officials said.
Railway Protection Force tightens security in NFR zone
In response to escalating security challenges across the country, Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has significantly strengthened its security protocols at stations, trains and railway premises, an official said on Friday.
India opposes IMF lifeline for Pakistan due to terror financing risk
India strongly opposed further financial assistance from the IMF to Pakistan at the executive board meeting held on Friday, expressing serious concerns over Islamabad’s track record and the fact that the bailouts were enabling the cash-strapped country to sponsor cross-border terrorism.
Sirens echo across Jammu as 'blasts' trigger blackout; CM Omar Abdullah posts urgent advisory on social media
Jammu city plunged into darkness late Friday evening after a series of blasts were heard across the region, prompting authorities to sound emergency alarms and urge citizens to stay indoors.
Enough rice, wheat, sugar, oil and pulses stock, no need to panic: Pralhad Joshi
The government on Friday reiterated that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country, and citizens are advised not to panic or rush to the markets to purchase food grains.
Indian carriers cancel flights to 24 airports till May 15 as tensions flare up
Indian carriers on Friday announced that flights to 24 airports had been cancelled till May 15, following a notification from aviation authorities on the continued closure of multiple airports in the country.
New low even for Pakistan: India hits out at Islamabad for targetting religious places
As Pakistani troops continued resorting to heavy mortar shelling on the Indian side along the Line of Control (LoC), India on Friday slammed the rogue nation for specifically targetting religious places labelling it as a "new low even for Pakistan".