Palestine: The United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres has condemned Israel’s “collective punishment” of Palestinians. The UN chief called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Israel-Gaza war.
The comments came just hours after the bombing of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. Mr. Guterres noted that “Hamas attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.
During his talk at a forum to mark 10 years of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the UN chief reiterated what he called “two urgent humanitarian appeals.”
Mr. Guterres called on Hamas to “immediately and unconditionally release” those it is holding captive and Israel “to immediately allow unrestricted access to humanitarian aid” to Gaza. “The humanitarian ceasefire was needed for both of these appeals to be met. Too many lives and the fate of the entire region hang in the balance,” the UN chief added.
According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 500 people were killed in the attack, which has been widely condemned by world leaders and human rights groups. Israel has denied responsibility.
Representatives from more than 130 mostly developing countries are attending the forum in China, including at least 20 heads of state and government.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, China’s growing programme of providing finance and loans to developing countries to build infrastructure, Mr. Guterres stressed that many developing countries were “drowning in debt” and called for “effective debt relief mechanisms”.
China’s President Mr. Xi Jinping and Russia’s President Mr. Vladimir Putin also addressed the opening ceremony of the forum in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
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