UN Chief Guterres Criticizes Israel Over Gaza Destruction and West Bank
UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized Israel at a General Assembly session, citing unprecedented destruction in Gaza and risks of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a sharp critique against Israel during a UN General Assembly session, condemning the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip and warning of a potential ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
UN Chief Condemns Gaza Destruction
Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Guterres stated that nearly three years have passed since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. He asserted that the subsequent military campaign in Gaza resulted in unprecedented levels of killing and destruction. "Civilians continue to pay the price as so-called ceasefires have proven to be nothing more than reduced fire," Guterres said.
"What we witnessed was an attack on Palestinians in Gaza, on a scale of killing and destruction I have not seen in all my years as Secretary-General."
West Bank Settlements and International Law
Addressing the situation in the West Bank, the UN chief warned that settlement expansion and rising violence are destroying the viability of a two-state solution. He also invoked legally binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice regarding the humanitarian crisis and adherence to international law.
