Guterres: I feel horror about civilian casualties in Gaza… Is international humanitarian law selective?
Despite the UN historically struggling with anything related to Israel and some major countries wanting it to see the world’s affairs and conflicts and determine its fate, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, expressed his “deep concern about the escalation of the conflict between Israel, Hamas, and other armed Palestinian groups in Gaza” on Tuesday.
In a statement issued in his name before Israel’s shelling of Jabalia camp on Tuesday, Guterres pointed out that his concern includes “the expansion of ground operations by the Israeli Defense Forces accompanied by intensive airstrikes, and the continued rocket launches towards Israel from Gaza.” Guterres said, “Civilians have borne the brunt of the current fighting from the beginning,” emphasizing that “the protection of civilians on both sides is of paramount importance and must be respected at all times.”
Guterres, who condemned the attacks on the 7th of October, stated: “I condemn the killing of civilians in Gaza and feel horror about the reports that indicate that two-thirds of the casualties are women and children.”
However, the condemnation did not include the phrase “Israel or its warplanes,” and when asked by Guterres’ spokesperson about the reason, he said, “It is the responsibility of journalists to point that out.”
Meanwhile, Guterres mourned “United Nations colleagues who tragically lost their lives in the bombing of Gaza over the past three weeks,” saying, “My heart goes out to the families of our colleagues who lost their lives while on duty,” emphasizing that “international humanitarian law sets clear rules that cannot be ignored; they are not selective and cannot be applied selectively.”
He said, “With the loss of many Israeli and Palestinian lives, this escalation only leads to further immense suffering for civilians,” pointing out that “the level of humanitarian aid allowed to enter Gaza until this moment is wholly inadequate and does not correspond to the needs of the people in Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian tragedy.”
He called for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons and for the continuous and secure access of humanitarian aid on a wide scale to meet the urgent needs arising from the unfolding disaster in Gaza.
He expressed his “deep concern about the danger of a serious escalation outside of Gaza and urged all leaders to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid a broader conflagration.”
On Monday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that 8,306 Palestinians were killed, including 3,457 children, in the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, and stated in its statement that the number of casualties in the West Bank has risen to 329 Palestinians since January, including 121 since October 7th.
