Secretary-General’s press encounter at the League of Arab States (excerpt on the situation in Gaza)

17 May 2025

A very good afternoon to all of you.

I am pleased to be in Baghdad once again, this time for this Summit of the League of Arab States in a crucial moment for the region.

The ground is moving under our feet in this region.

But the tectonic shifts are not a force of nature.

The problems of violence and volatility are the results of concrete choices of people.

And the solutions are also in the hands of decisionmakers.

Solutions that, above all, are focused on making the most of the tremendous potential and opportunity throughout this region.

We know the people of the Arab world demand and deserve a better future.

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And people in every corner of the Arab world who seek the same as those anywhere — a future of justice, dignity, human rights, security peace and hope.

One issue is at the heart of the region’s unrealized hope:  the unresolved question of Palestine.

A two-State solution — Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States – is not just a vision.

It is a necessity.

That goal has never been more imperative – but unfortunately also never more distant.

A two-State future is disappearing before our eyes and we need to reverse this trend.

In Gaza, the situation for Palestinians is beyond description … beyond atrocious … and beyond inhumane.

A policy of siege and starvation makes a mockery of international law.

The blockade against humanitarian aid must end immediately.

I say once again:  Nothing justifies the atrocious October 7 terror attacks by Hamas.

But nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

We need a permanent ceasefire — the unconditional release of all hostages –the free flow of humanitarian aid – and irreversible action towards a two-State solution.

The high-level conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity we cannot lose.

This is a moment for moral clarity and concrete action.

The choices ahead will shape the region for years to come.

We can and must rise to this moment with courage, unity, and vision.

I am convinced that the Arab world has the strength, the wisdom, and the opportunity to lead the way toward peace, dignity, and a future worthy of all its people.
 
Shukran.

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Question: You always call for respecting the International law, but the decisions of the organizations are not going anywhere. The second question is about the US President’s decisions, is it a beginning of the end of the work of humanitarian organizations?

Secretary-General: Well, if I understood well the question, the UN had been consistently involved in humanitarian aid in Gaza first of all, second the UN had been consistently advocating for Gaza to have a ceasefire and to end the terrible suffering of the Gaza people. We have been strongly condemning any attempt to move the population out of Gaza against their will, and we can see that Gaza must be part of the future Palestinian state. And in all these things, the voice of the UN has been clear, the voice of the UN has been constant and we have shown our strong commitment to the people of Gaza. So, this is a matter in which I believe we are doing the right thing and I’m proud of the work the UN is doing.

Question: Question from Al Jazeera, what is the actual extent of the response of the humanitarian organizations in Gaza, and the efforts to end the suffering in Gaza?

Secretary-General: The Secretariat of the United Nations has not the power to end the war in Gaza. The security council might have that power but as you know the security council is paralyzed by Veto. But I can guarantee that the Secretariat of United Nations and the Secretary-General will not lose one single minute in the attempt to convince the whole of the international community that they must put pressure on Israel for the military operations to end and for a permanent ceasefire, together with the release of hostages, and together with unlimited support to the population in Gaza. But on top of that, our position is also very clear and we will be strongly engaged with France and with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the conference that is now being convened in June, a conference to mobilize the international community in defense of the Two-State solution for Palestine.

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