“Hundreds of thousands of civilians — already exhausted and traumatized — would be forced to flee yet again, plunging families into even deeper peril.” Antonio Guterres
Israel’s initial steps to militarily take over Gaza City “signals a new and dangerous phase” in the ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday.
“Expanded military operations in Gaza City will have devastating consequences,” Guterres told the media at the UN headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres renews his call for a ceasefire in Gaza, greater humanitarian access and the release of all hostages.
He warns that Israel’s initial steps to take over Gaza City ‘signals a new and dangerous phase’ in the conflict.https://t.co/yDdiSihFYo
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) August 28, 2025
He stressed that “Hundreds of thousands of civilians — already exhausted and traumatized — would be forced to flee yet again, plunging families into even deeper peril,” adding “This must stop.”
Guterres said Gaza has witnessed “yet more unconscionable Israeli strikes” including earlier this week at the Nasser Hospital in which at least 22 Palestinians were killed, including five journalists.
“One attack was followed by another – killing civilians, including medical personnel and journalists who were carrying out their essential work. All with the world watching,” he stated.
‘Endless Catalogue of Horrors’
Describing the attacks as part of “an endless catalogue of horrors,” Guterres called for “accountability.”
He noted that Gaza “is piled with rubble, piled with bodies, and piled with examples of what may be serious violations of international law.”
Just a few meters from Jabalia city, where Israeli occupation forces are stationed while intensifying attacks, Palestinians in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood are forced to be displaced once again, under Israeli fire. pic.twitter.com/9B3MleKHtC
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 28, 2025
Moreover, famine “is no longer a looming possibility — it is a present-day catastrophe.”
The UN Chief pointed out that “People are dying from hunger. Families are being torn apart by displacement and despair. Pregnant women are facing unimaginable risks” while the systems that sustain life – food, water, healthcare – have “been systematically dismantled.”
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He stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, “has clear obligations” to ensure the provision of food, water, medicine, and other essentials.
Deaths Due to Starvation
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, hospitals in the enclave have recorded four new deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours. This raises to 317 the number of starvation-related deaths, including 121 children, since October 2023.
The UN officially confirmed a famine in Gaza for the first time last week, calling it a “man-made disaster” and “a failure of humanity itself.”
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Guterres said the binding provisional measures given by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) must be implemented “fully and immediately.” These “include the obligation to take all steps to ensure unfettered humanitarian and medical assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza — without delay and in full cooperation with the United Nations.”
West Bank’s ‘Alarming’ Situation
He also drew attention to the “profoundly alarming” situation in the occupied West Bank, saying Israel’s military operations, “settler violence, demolitions, and discriminatory policies are driving displacement and deepening vulnerability.”
Guterres stressed that “the relentless expansion” of illegal settlements is fracturing communities and cutting off access to vital resources.
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The recent approval of a plan for the construction of thousands of settlements in the E1 area “would effectively separate the northern and southern West Bank – an existential threat to the two-state solution.”
He emphasized, “I repeat: the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been established – and are being maintained — in violation of international law.”
Guterres reiterated that there “is no military solution to the conflict,” and appealed for an immediate and permanent ceasefire along with unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza.
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Starvation of the civilian population, he added, “must never be used as a method of warfare.”
Staggering Death Toll
Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 62,900 Palestinians, with more than 159,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
Gaza Death Toll Nears 63,000 amid Israeli Airstrikes and Famine
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
