On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned that the situation in Hamas-ruled Gaza is fast deteriorating, as he renewed desperate calls for a ceasefire to end the “nightmare” of bloodshed.
“The situation in Gaza is growing more desperate by the hour. I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause, supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations,” Guterres said on a visit to Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.
“The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable.”
According to Israeli officials, Israel launched a huge counterattack when Hamas fighters broke across the border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, largely civilians, and taking 230 captives.
Following weeks of intensive shelling of Gaza, which the Palestinian health ministry says killed over 8,000 deaths, the Israeli army announced “stage two” of the assault began late Friday with ground invasions.
Panic and dread have gripped Gaza, where over one million Palestinians have been uprooted and communications have been disrupted for days after Israel severed internet cables, though access gradually returned early Sunday.
“The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe taking place before our eyes,” Guterres added.
“More than two million people, with nowhere safe to go, are being denied the essentials for life –- food, water, shelter and medical care –- while being subjected to relentless bombardment. I urge all those with responsibility to step back from the brink.”
The UN’s top diplomat arrived in Nepal on a four-day visit following talks in Qatar.
“I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief at a scale that meets the needs of the people of Gaza, he said.
“We must join forces to end this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel and all those affected around the world, including here in Nepal.”
Ten Nepali students were killed in Israel on October 7 after a Hamas attack, while one Nepali person is still missing.
Guterres said he will visit fast melting glaciers in the Himalayas to “see for myself the terrible impact of the climate crisis” when he arrives in Nepal.
According to him, Nepal has lost about a third of its ice over the last three decades, with glaciers melting at historic rates.
“The impact on communities is devastating,” he said, ahead of a planned visit to the Everest and Annapurna region.
The average surface temperature of the Earth has increased by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times, while high-mountain regions around the world have warmed at double that rate, according to climate scientists.
Guterres also stated that he plans to visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in southern Nepal, “to reflect on the Lord Buddha’s teachings of peace and nonviolence, which are more relevant than ever in our deeply troubled world.”