It would be tragic if weeks of intense diplomatic activity for peace in Gaza, yield no ceasefire. No release of hostages. And a devastating offensive in Rafah. I reiterate my appeal for both parties to show the political courage and spare no effort to secure an agreement now. To stop the bloodshed. To free the hostages. And to help stabilize a region which is still at risk of explosion. This is a crucial opportunity that the region – and indeed the world – cannot afford to miss.
This is the moment to reaffirm our hope for, and contributions to, a two-state solution – the only sustainable path to peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians, and the wider region. The United Nations is totally committed to supporting a pathway to peace, based on an end to the occupation and the establishment of a fully independent, democratic, viable, contiguous, and sovereign Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.
The Middle East is on a knife-edge. Recent escalations make it even more important to support good-faith efforts to find lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state...I urge every Government involved to use its influence and leverage to promote trust-building, mutual security, and regional peace.
In its speed, scale and inhumane ferocity, the war in Gaza is the deadliest of conflicts... Six months on, we are at the brink: of mass starvation; of regional conflagration; of a total loss of faith in global standards and norms. It’s time to step back from that brink – to silence the guns – to ease the horrible suffering – and to stop a potential famine before it is too late.
People around the world are outraged by the horrors we are all witnessing in real time. I carry the voices of the vast majority of the world who have seen enough … It’s time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid. The choice is clear: either surge or starvation. Let’s choose the side of help – the side of hope – and the right side of history. I will not give up. And all of us must not give up in doing all we can for our common humanity to prevail in Gaza and around the world.