UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a statement to the media.
Six months into the current round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a media statement urging Israel to make a real change in the way it fights in Gaza to avoid civilian casualties, while allowing for a "real paradigm shift" in the delivery of life-saving assistance.
Guterres said this Sunday was six months after Hamas launched its "heinous" terrorist attacks against Israel. October 7, 2023 is a painful day for Israel and the world. There can be no justification for the horrors perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October.
"I reiterate my strong condemnation of the use of sexual violence, torture, the wounding and abduction of civilians, the firing of rockets at civilian targets, and the use of human shields," he said. ”
Guterres said he would meet many of the family members of the hostages, even those who had been released. Anxiety, uncertainty and deep pain can be felt in them. He reiterated his call for the unconditional release of all hostages still held by Hamas and other armed groups.
Relentless death and destruction
Guterres said Israel's military operations have brought relentless death and destruction to Palestinians in Gaza over the past six months and have killed more than 32,000 people and injured 75,000, the vast majority of them women and children.
"Lives are in ruins. Respect for international humanitarian law is gone. ”
The Secretary-General has indicated that many senior humanitarians have clearly told him that the crisis and suffering in Gaza is something they have never seen before. Today, more than a million Gazans are facing catastrophic hunger. Children are dying from lack of food and water. Humanitarian access faces many obstacles.
He stressed that this is incomprehensible and completely avoidable. There can be no justification for collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Artificial intelligence and information warfare
Recently, there have been reports that the Israeli military is using artificial intelligence to identify bombing targets, causing a large number of civilian casualties. The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by this. He stressed that life-and-death decisions that affect the entire family should not be left to cold algorithms.
"For years, I have been warning about the dangers of weaponizing AI and weakening the vital role of human institutions," he said. AI should be used as a force for justice for the benefit of the world, not as a wage war on an industrial level, obscuring responsibility. ”
At the same time, Guterres pointed out that the information war exacerbates the trauma, covers up the truth and shirks responsibility. The denial of access to Gaza for international journalists has allowed disinformation and misinformation to flourish.
An investigation into the attack on aid workers was launched
Guterres said some 196 humanitarian aid workers were killed in the "deadliest conflict," including 175 UN staff.
"We would like to pay tribute to all the humanitarian workers who have lost their lives in this conflict and pledge to remember their dedication and sacrifice," he said. ”
Guterres noted that after the brutal killing of seven humanitarian workers at the World Central Kitchen this week, the Israeli government admitted its mistake and announced a number of disciplinary measures. "But the fundamental question is not who made the mistakes, but the fact that the current military tactics and procedures allow these mistakes to be repeated again and again. ”
The Secretary-General stressed the need for an independent investigation and meaningful and measurable change on the ground to avoid repeating mistakes. "It's not just about this particular incident," he said. There were 196 humanitarian workers killed, and we would like to know the reasons why each of them was killed. ”
Changing the paradigm of humanitarian assistance
In the aftermath of the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, the Government of Israel informed the United Nations of its intention to allow a significant increase in the distribution of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Guterres said he sincerely hopes that these plans can be realized effectively and quickly, because the situation in Gaza is "desperate" and the rescue model must be completely changed.
He reiterated his urgent call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, the protection of civilians and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance. He stressed that all the Council's demands must be implemented and that "failure would be unforgivable".
"Six months on, we are on the edge of a precipice: mass famine, regional fighting, a total loss of faith in global standards and norms," Guterres concluded. It's time to take a step back from the edge of the cliff, let the gunfire calm down, alleviate the terrible pain, and stop a possible famine before it's too late. ”
