United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday blasted Israel’s plan to take control of the Gaza Strip, describing it as a “dangerous escalation”.
“The Secretary-General is gravely alarmed by the decision of the Israeli Government to ‘take control of Gaza City’. This decision marks a dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians, and could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages,” Guterres’ spokesperson said in a statement.
“Palestinians in Gaza continue to endure a humanitarian catastrophe of horrific proportions. The Secretary-General warns that this further escalation will result in additional forced displacement, killings and massive destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza,” the statement added.
It further said that Guterres “reiterates his urgent appeal for a permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza, and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
Guterres further asserted that “there will be no sustainable solution to this conflict without an end to this unlawful occupation and the achievement of a viable two-State solution. Gaza is and must remain an integral part of a Palestinian State.”
The Cabinet approved the plan for Israel to take over Gaza early Friday morning.
The Cabinet also adopted, by a majority vote, five principles for ending the war, including disarming Hamas, the return of all hostages, demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration, which is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
Guterres’s criticism is nothing new, as he has been regularly critical of Israel’s counterterrorism operations against Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen.
Several weeks after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, the UN Secretary-General said that the attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum” and appeared to blame Israel for the attack.
After his remarks were widely condemned, the UN chief claimed his comments were misinterpreted and that he had indeed condemned Hamas.
He recently criticized Israel’s renewal of strikes on the Gaza Strip and said he was “outraged” by them.
In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote, “We are outraged that you, Antonio Guterres, are the Secretary-General of the UN.”
“Not a word about the fact that Hamas rejected two American proposals to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages—two proposals that Israel accepted,” added Marmorstein.
“Not a word about the fact that Hamas exploits the transfer of goods to Gaza to rebuild its war machine in order to further attack Israel.”
“Not a word about UNRWA, which, under your leadership, employs Hamas terrorists, and its facilities were used by Hamas to hold hostages. Indeed, we are outraged by your moral bankruptcy,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson concluded.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)