United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his plea for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.
Addressing an international donor conference in Kuwait, Guterres urged for the unconditional release of all hostages and an urgent increase in humanitarian aid.
The conflict in Gaza, he emphasized, is inflicting severe humanitarian suffering, claiming lives, fracturing families, and leaving countless people homeless, hungry, and traumatized.
Guterres emphasized that a ceasefire is just the starting point. The road to recovery from the devastation and trauma of this war will be lengthy.
The people of Gaza will require robust, long-term partnerships for humanitarian aid and development to rebuild their lives.
The war erupted on October 7th following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel, resulting in over 1,170 casualties, as per AFP’s count based on official Israeli data.
In response, Israel pledged to eradicate Hamas, launching a devastating bombing campaign and ground operations in Gaza, resulting in nearly 35,000 casualties, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Additionally, more than 250 individuals have been kidnapped, with 128 still held captive in Gaza, and 36 fatalities reported, according to Israeli officials.
