UN Secretary-General reiterated his appeal to Israel to stop any escalation in Gaza, amid reports that its forces have taken over key border crossings in Rafah. “The closure of both the Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings is especially damaging to an already dire humanitarian situation. They must be re-opened immediately,” Secretary-General António Guterres said at a press stakeout at UN Headquarters in New York. He called on the Israeli Government to stop any escalation and engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks.

With the situation in Gaza “worsening by the day”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed for Israeli and Hamas leaders currently taking part in intense negotiations to reach a ceasefire agreement. “For the sake of the people of Gaza, for the sake of the hostages and their families in Israel and for the sake of the region and the wider world, I strongly encourage the Government of Israel and the Hamas leadership to reach now an agreement.” Mr. Guterres expressed fear that without an agreement, “the war, with all its consequences both in Gaza and across the region, will worsen exponentially”.

Top UN officials launched a fresh global campaign to tackle the climate emergency, with social media influencers, Indigenous leaders and corporate giants showing what they’ve done and what’s to come. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the initiative, driven by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), recognises an important truth in the climate battle: “it is not all doom and gloom”. “Many countries have the will to take more ambitious steps on climate action, but the world needs to mobilise to ensure there is a way,” he said at the Below 1.5 by 2025: The Plan launch event.

Recent escalations in the Middle East make it even more important to support efforts towards lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council. “Failure to make progress towards a two-State solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence,” he said.

“The world is forgetting about the people of Sudan” the UN chief warned, calling for a boost in humanitarian funding and a global push for peace to end a year of brutal fighting between rival militaries. With attention over the weekend focused on the Middle East he said the conflict between the national army and Rapid Support Forces militia had turned into “a war being waged on the Sudanese people.” “It is a war on the many thousands of civilians who have been killed, and tens of thousands more maimed for life, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.