UN chief 'outraged' over recent Israeli attacks in Gaza that killed hundreds

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday voiced outrage over the latest Israeli attacks in Gaza that has killed hundreds of people, calling for an immediate restoration of the ceasefire and urgent humanitarian assistance.

"I am outraged at this week's Israeli attacks in Gaza, which killed hundreds of people," Guterres said in remarks delivered in Leuven, Belgium, where KU Leuven and UC Louvain universities jointly awarded an honorary doctorate to the UN.

He also mourned the death of a UN staff member and the wounding of five others after Israeli strikes hit two UN guesthouses in Deir al-Balah.

"The ceasefire had finally allowed some measure of relief to ease the horrendous suffering of Palestinians in Gaza — and relief to Israeli families finally welcoming home hostages after over a year of anguish," he said. "All of that has now been shattered."

The UN chief reiterated that "escalation is not the answer" and that "there is no military solution to this conflict."

Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, he called for the full resumption of humanitarian assistance to the besieged enclave.

"I strongly appeal for the ceasefire to be restored, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be re-established and for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally," Guterres said.

"Beyond ending this terrible war, we must lay the foundations for lasting peace — through immediate and irreversible steps towards a two-state solution — with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states," he added.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza since Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 112,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.