NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the international community to push for a full ceasefire and the release of all hostages in Gaza while warning against “any form of ethnic cleansing” in the enclave. Speaking at the opening of the latest session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in New York on Wednesday, he stressed the need to adhere to international law and avoid further escalation of the crisis.
His remarks came in response to recent comments by United States President Donald Trump, who suggested that the US could “take over” Gaza and called on Palestinians to leave. When asked if this amounted to ethnic cleansing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated, “Any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”
Guterres reiterated that Palestinians have an inalienable right to live in their own land but warned that these rights were increasingly under threat. He condemned the Hamas attacks of October 7 while also criticising the destruction and mass displacement in Gaza, where nearly 50,000 people—mainly women and children—have reportedly been killed, and civilian infrastructure has been decimated.
The Secretary-General welcomed last month’s ceasefire agreement and thanked mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their efforts. However, he emphasised the need for a permanent truce, saying, “We cannot go back to more death and destruction.” He also called for expanded humanitarian access and urged the international community to fully fund relief efforts, including the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Guterres reaffirmed the necessity of a two-state solution, calling it the only sustainable path to Middle East stability. He stated that any lasting peace must involve the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel, an end to the occupation, and the preservation of the territorial integrity of Palestinian lands.
The situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was also a point of concern, with Guterres condemning rising violence by Israeli settlers and other rights violations. He stressed that Israel’s occupation must end, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.
The newly elected chair of the UN Committee, Senegal’s Ambassador Coly Seck, echoed these concerns, warning that recent statements and actions threatened the ceasefire’s progress. He condemned unilateral Israeli measures, including new laws restricting UNRWA’s operations, and urged the global community to resist efforts undermining Palestinian rights.
UNRWA officials also highlighted the agency’s crucial role in sustaining the ceasefire and supporting Gaza’s recovery. However, they warned that financial constraints and political pressures could severely impact their ability to deliver aid, urging countries to maintain funding and resist efforts to dismantle the agency.
As tensions persist, the UN continues to call for immediate action to ensure a lasting peace and prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
