The United Nations secretary-general on Tuesday called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza and urged an end to hostilities across the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, Israel and the region.
Speaking on the second anniversary of Israel's genocidal war, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, incursion into Israel, Antonio Guterres decried a "humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defies comprehension."
"I have said it time and again, and I am repeating it today with even greater urgency: Release the hostages, unconditionally and immediately," he said in a statement.
"End the suffering for all ... Put an end to the hostilities in Gaza, Israel and the region now. Stop making civilians pay with their lives and their futures.
"After two years of trauma, we must choose hope. Now."
His comments came as the world marked the two years of the Hamas incursion and Israel's subsequent war.
The Hamas incursion caused nearly 1,219 deaths and took 251 people hostage, of whom 47 remain captive, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel's genocidal war, in comparison, has killed at least 67,160 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, figures the United Nations considers credible.
With global pressure mounting to end the war in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan calling for a cease-fire, a release of all the hostages, Hamas's disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The U.N. secretary-general hailed the proposal as "an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end."
"A permanent cease-fire and a credible political process are essential to prevent further bloodshed and pave the way for peace," Guterres said.
"International law must be respected."
